Chocolates
by LilyandIvy
Summary: Set after chap 142, so of course there are spoilers. How exactly does Sho respond to Kyoko's blackmailed chocolates? Will he make it up to her? And will Shouko become just as much a matchmaker as Yashiro? R
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I try not to do to many author's notes, I swear. It's just they end up appearing...anyway. First fanfic in a while, the others are on hiatus. Not discontinued, not taken down, I just have to find my Muses again. In any event, I will post the next few chapters based off reader's feedback. So the more reviews, the happier I am. And, without further ado, my newest fanfic. Please, enjoy.**

"Tell me, do you love him that much?"

For a moment, Kyouko didn't respond, too shocked to react, or even hear his words. Her mind was still reeling from the loss of her bargaining chip to gain back her doppelganger. The chocolates were smashed in the road, her precious apparition potentially lost forever, and so it took a moment for the question to sink in.

But when it did, the grudge demons, having hung back in surprise at Sho's sudden appearance and the destroyed chocolates, came out in full force.

The entire army burst from her body, chaos swirling around in a dark force. The very air was permeated by her righteous fury, and unlucky bystanders in the floors above and below the two had a sudden urge to flee the building, the city, even the country. It would take years for any talent or full-fledged star to be able to walk down that corridor without shuddering violently. The memory of her anger, burning oh so very brightly, would remain imprinted in the walls around her, able for any medium to see into this moment of passionate fury. Only Sho, protected by his own dark magic, was left unaltered by the destruction. But no power could stop him from feeling it.

"Love?" came Kyouko's voice, pitched low and seemingly indifferent, if you didn't know her very well. If, however, you were Sho, who had known her since childhood, the lack of emotion shown was infinitely more frightening than any passion. "The Beagle?" A cold, humorless chuckle was echoed by a thousand demons, all bent on wreaking revenge on their master's enemy. "I think you forget, dear Shotaro," He stiffened at his birth name, but kept silent, "that I have forsworn love. And if any man could tempt me from that vow, it would not be that bastard Reinou!" At that, her emotions got the better of her control, and Kyouko's voice and face twisted in disgust and anger. "He's a thousand times worse than you! How could I ever love him? What girl would?!?!"

"So…" said Sho, trying to accomplish a two-fold mission. Mission One: Learn everything he could about Reinou and Kyouko's relationship while he had the time. Mission Two: Escape with his life. "So…you don't love him?"

"NO!" Kyouko nearly screamed. Her demons danced around the two, working themselves up into a frenzy that would devour Sho. More than a few looked like they were about to leap through the leashes that held them back.

"So the chocolates were for…?" asked Sho, keeping cool while assessing possible escape routes.

"Blackmailed!" Kyouko spat, "He stole one of my grudges and is holding it hostage until I give him chocolates baked with my feelings for him! Why else would I give him chocolates for Vain Day? After the hell you wrought on me, I'll never again give any man honmei chocolates willingly!"

_Hell I wrought you…? _Sho wondered, but didn't say that. Instead, he said: "Grudges? You mean these things?" he gestured around him, knocking a few of the closer ones out of the air. They shrieked and fell on him, attacking and harming every part of them they could find. He paid them no attention. "How'd he do that?"

"Tricked me. How else?" Kyouko said, her eyes narrowing.

"I don't know, maybe you gave it to him?" Sho shrugged, brushing off the demons.

Kyouko's face scowled as she answered. "When will you get it out of your head? I am not in love with Reinou. Never have been, never will. But now I will have to bake more chocolates tonight, thanks to you!"

Sho took a step back, nearly into the embrace of a hundred smirking grudges. "Why?"

"Because if I don't he'll love my doppelganger!" Kyouko said, exasperated. "And any emotion he shows that thing will work its way through to me! Not to mention the hell it'll put the innocent grudge through! Honestly, what did it ever do?"

_What indeed, _though Sho sarcastically. But he knew better than to say that out loud. Kyouko might very well murder him for that, and that would be before the security guards came. He rolled his eyes and said; "Look, I'll make it up to you."

Kyouko, who had continued ranting about the infinite sins of the Beagles, most notably Reinou, stopped dead when she heard him. Her mouth closed, and her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You're going to make it up to me."

"Yes. I will. I'll give you the money to buy new ingredients, and you can use Shouko's kitchen to make it. Problem solved."

"…uh-huh…" Kyouko still stared, or a more fitting verb would be glared, at Sho while trying to think of the various ways he could manipulate, torture, or embarrass her. So far she had come up with two hundred fifty-six.

Sho held up his hands in a peace gesture. "It's an offer. Take it or leave it."

"What's in it for you?" Kyouko said, her demons breaking off to form committees to discuss exactly why it would be best to turn down the deal.

"Nothing, really. But you know I wouldn't want to leave things as they are. I'll even drive you home. Or have Shouko do it, anyway." Now that the words were out of his mouth, he couldn't help but to wonder: where did she live anyway? Another mansion of an apartment? With a friend? With _Tsuruga_?

It was Kyouko's turn to assess possible escape routes. She knew that look on his face. The look of a man who had hurt someone and was now trying to repay it. A man with broken honor and pride. She had seen that look on him before when he arrived on Dark Moon set to give her bandages. Despite his words that she could leave the deal, he would not let her walk out of the building without some way to make it up to her. In some ways, Kyouko hated the values his parents had imparted on him. He had abandoned everything else old-fashioned, why didn't he abandon this? Along with his idiotic notions that women were delicate and couldn't stand physical pain, which was borderline hypocritical in her eyes. His rejection and betrayal had hurt much more than that slap he gave her at TBM. But now was not the time to think of that. Now her only task was to remember any of her many excellent reasons to not accept his invitation to Shouko-san's, and by extension, Sho's, apartment.

Sho, having long since acclimatized to Kyouko's many facial expressions, saw the defeat in the set of her mouth and the way her eyes glared. He smirked, and recognized his victory. He turned away from her, so she couldn't see the real joy in his face the way he saw her defeat in hers.

"So. When're you getting off work tonight?" he asked.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

She could not believe this was happening.

She, Mogami Kyouko, eternal enemy to Fuwa Shotaro and sworn to make him taste fear and defeat, was now sitting in that bastard's dressing room, reading the script for the next_ Box "R"_ episode she was filming, waiting for him to get done recording his interview so she could accompany him to the apartment he shared with his manager, so she could make chocolates. This was beyond torture. This was an unfathomable circumstance she couldn't even believe she had gotten herself into. The only thing that kept her in the chair itself was the fact that she was too prideful to admit to Shotaro himself that she couldn't stand him. But, Kami-sama, this was intolerable. This was, ladies and gentlemen, hell on earth, beaten only by two circumstances: she being unable to give Reino chocolates and gain her doppelganger back; or Tsuruga-san finding out that she was going to go over to her sworn enemy's apartment to make chocolate for her stalker she had told him she would never see again. Faced with these three options of hell, she would gratefully take this scenario, though. The thought of Reino holding her little orphan hostage and force-feeding it affection was too scary, but the imagined look of Tsuruga-san's face upon finding out the heinous crime she was about to commit was beyond comprehension. This act could probably estrange them forever, and she could never call herself his kouhai ever again.

So, there, sitting and waiting and only half-memorizing her lines, she made a solemn vow, nearly as sacred as her vow to take down Shotaro, that Tsuruga-san would never find out what she was doing tonight. In keeping that promise, she had turned off her cell phone, knowing that if he tried to call she'd probably get a stern lecture later of starlets not being in touch with the world, but it was better than the alternative of Shotaro answering it in a sudden "everything-Kyouko-has-is-mine" moment and confronting Tsuruga-san, and then Kyouko having to take the fall for her decision. She swore she would never talk of this again, not to Moko-san, not to Tashio-san and Okami-san, not to Maria-chan, and if Shotaro ever brought this up after tonight, she'd fake ignorance. Her relationship with Tsuruga-san was on the line here, and she'd have to tread very carefully to make it across this minefield.

This waiting was going to kill her, though. How long did it take to act like a jerk in front of the camera? He was brilliant at it on and off camera, so what was the holdup? She groaned as she remembered that this wasn't live; and if the producers wanted an NG, they would redo the same questions a thousand times over to get what they wanted.

Opening her eyes, she eyed the ingredients leaning against her chair. Shotaro had given her a few thousand yen and told her to go all-out, buying the best ingredients she could for the chocolate. She had rolled her eyes and taken the bills anyway, knowing she would use it to buy on-clearance ingredients and things a few measly days before their expiration date. She wasn't going to waste money on that damn Beagle. But when she had tried to give Shotaro his change back when she arrived back at Fuji TV, he had refused to take it. Damn male pride. Though what was left over was a significant amount of money, money she could use to buy herself a few necessities and pay off a few payments, she was going to donate it to the poor. Odette could wait, cosmetics could wait, cute outfits could wait, everything she wanted to buy could wait. But she wasn't going to buy anything with his money. Maybe a donation to an orphanage could convince the tainted money to do some good in the world. After a ritual cleansing, of course. It would be irresponsible to send his secondhand money out into the world without having gotten rid of the worst of the bad influence first. And Mogami Kyouko was anything but irresponsible. Except when it came to turning on her cell phone (wink-wink-nudge-nudge). That she wasn't too responsible about.

Turning her attention back to the script, she had memorized only half a page more before Sho and Shouko-san came through the door, Shouko-san apologizing to a nearby crewmember of Sho's behavior, and Sho walking in like he owned the place. Who did he think he was, anyway? A guest? Oh, thought Kyouko as she remembered that, yes, he was a guest at Fuji TV, while her own invitation had ended a few hours ago and she was technically still there because she was with Shotaro. Thrusting that notion out of her head, she turned her eyes back to the script, hoping to glean more information out of it while not allowing herself to be distracted by Sho's existence. She failed.

* * *

Sho, on his part, was also distracted by Kyouko. When they lived together he would sometimes walk around shirtless, and after Kyouko had accepted and gotten used to it, he had hardly thought twice of it. And Shouko-san had certainly seen him like this before. So why did changing now bother him? He didn't have an answer, so he just abandoned the idea. What was he looking for from Kyouko, anyway? Lust? Admiration? Jealousy of Shouko-san? Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Almost amusing enough to make him laugh. Kyouko would never feel any of those emotions, least of all to him.

Still, he angled his body away from her so he wouldn't have to meet her eyes while changing out of the promotional outfit and into his street clothes.

* * *

Shouko, for one, was absolutely fascinated by what was going on around her.

Sho had, after disappearing on her for a few minutes, showed up again, asking if she wouldn't mind too much to drive Kyouko-chan to the store so Kyouko-chan could pick up a few ingredients and then allow Kyouko-chan to use their kitchen back at Shouko's apartment and then drive Kyouko-chan home, to wherever she lived. Shouko had been so stunned at the time she could barely articulate her "Yes, of course," response. Was Sho doing something altruistically for someone else, albeit at someone else's expense more so than his own? The very concept was so contrary to the boy Shouko thought Sho was that she had nearly laughed at his request, before she realized he was serious, and very much not joking. Of course she had agreed. It was as much for Kyouko-chan's sake, poor girl, as it was for her own. Shouko could not let this amazing opportunity for them both to get a bit closer slip away. She realized by now that the two had, at one time, been so close that a simple evening of Kyouko-chan using the kitchen wasn't going to change much of their present state, but they might make some progress. And then the chocolates, because Shouko had asked what Kyouko-chan was making against her better judgment, would be for Sho after all.

She felt very much like an Imperial-age matchmaker as she came in, halfheartedly apologizing to a crewmember for the remark Sho had made on his treatment, and saw that Kyouko-chan, having looked up to see what the noise was, had returned to her script with a mixed look on her face. Shouko watched the girl a bit more, but could get nothing more from her demeanor other than that Kyouko-chan was regretting her decision to accept Sho's offer. The reason was obvious: she probably didn't want any of her friends and colleagues, including that Tsuruga Ren, to know she was going to spend the evening in Sho's apartment. With a tiny bit of pride, Shouko wondered just how many times Kyouko-chan had spent the evening at _his_ apartment. It wasn't that she hated the man himself, but that being Sho's manager had, in time, worn a bit of an effect on her. Certainly his manager had never done so much as this to get Tsuruga and Kyouko-chan together.

Leaning against the counter, Shouko reflected a bit on that last thought. Tsuruga and Kyouko-chan; a couple. Thinking back to the girl she had met, for the very first time, dressed in a work uniform, throwing fast food at Sho's head, vowing passionate revenge only to be carried off by security, Shouko doubted it. Could the mannered and genteel Tsuruga love such a hot-tempered, hate-filled, revenge-minded girl as that? Even if he could, could the general public, who loved the gentlemanly Tsuruga, deal with his girlfriend? In this world where your image counted for half your soul, the public's opinion of your lovers was very important. Without their general consent, their careers would suffer, and in turn the relationship would suffer. So a brash and emotional girl would be incompatible in their eyes, and Kyouko-chan did tend to think with her heart.

But then Shouko remembered the PV shooting. Kyouko-chan had walked onto that set in an alternate persona, becoming "Kyouko" the stage artist, but not "Kyouko," Sho's childhood friend. It would have taken more self-control than Shouko, in Kyouko-chan's shoes, had to face an ex in that scenario and deceive him like that. And certainly the actor who was the very face of self-discipline could respect that. Who knows, maybe even the masses could grow to love it as well.

Smiling, she also remembered that time at the baths in Karuizawa, when Kyouko-chan didn't treat her as Sho's manager, but as another woman, a completely separate entity than the star she looked after. Talking with the girl, Shouko had quickly realized that Kyouko-chan never thought of Shouko in relation to Sho, as an ally of Sho and therefore enemy of Kyouko-chan. She thought of Shouko as someone unconnected to Kyouko-chan and Sho's mutual struggle and only a witness, not an active player. That was the reason why Kyouko-chan was able to talk to Shouko so casually, and be so concerned at Shouko's abandoned dream of theatre. Because Shouko wasn't someone to be wary of, or hostile to. That was for Sho, and Sho alone. And for that ability to separate people, and be able to read them so clearly, for Shouko knew that many young girls would have lashed out at the manager just as much as against the star, Shouko knew any man, Tsuruga Ren included, could fall in love with. Who knows, maybe even Sho was intrigued by that quality.

Coming out of her reflections and thoughts to check up on her star and his childhood friend (and potential lover, maybe?) she nearly chuckled before catching herself. Kyouko-chan was resolutely staring at the page, probably not even taking any of the words in, while Sho, in a strange onset of modesty, was turned away so Kyouko-chan couldn't see anything even if she looked up, which Shouko doubted she would do. Were these two…embarrassed? That Sho was undressing before Kyouko-chan? Surely Kyouko-chan had seen him like this before…or maybe she hadn't. Shouko didn't know the extent of Kyouko-chan and Sho's previous relationship, as both were rather reticent to talk about the past, and so didn't know if Sho had changed clothes in front of Kyouko-chan before. Maybe this was the first time Kyouko-chan saw this much of Sho…or of any man, for that matter. What if this was a "first" for Kyouko-chan? And what of Sho? What was he thinking of right now? Was he as painfully aware of Kyouko-chan's presence as Shouko thought he was?

Turning her face so neither of them could see her smile, Shouko briefly considered stepping out to "make arrangements." When she looked up again, the words on her lips, she couldn't speak them. The moment was broken, and Sho was shrugging on his jacket. Kyouko-chan didn't move, but Shouko thought there was something more relaxed in the girl's straight back and crossed legs. And Sho himself looked much more at ease than he had a few moments ago.

Oh yes, agreeing to this was the right thing indeed.

* * *

Did he have no shame?

You would think, a boy growing up in an old-fashioned inn, one of the greatest in all of Japan, with values being instilled in him from an early age, would not strip in front of two women, neither of which his wife. Even if he had scorned his upbringing and ran away from his parent's home, you would think he would still not be so free with his body in the way he was. It was one thing to wear a tight outfit on stage, but it was quite another to remove clothing in front of two unmarried women. There was no excuse for it at all, unless Shouko-san was his lover, which could very well be, for all Kyouko knew or cared, and if Shotaro still, even after her transformation for his PV, still saw her as a childhood friend and therefore not-female. And that even wasn't a real excuse. By the bored look on Shouko-san's face, this was obviously not a solitary event, and she was quite used to it. Maybe the two were lovers after all. Shouko-san certainly had the cleavage.

In any event, Kyouko was even more unhappy than she had been before Shotaro had walked into the room. Which was quite an accomplishment.

"Hey, Kyouko," came that dreaded voice.

"Yes, Sho?" she said without looking up, trying to keep control over her grudges.

"Have you eaten anything?" Shotaro said, looking hungry himself.

"…No," said Kyouko, feeling defeat, "Have you, Shouko-san?"

"No, I haven't. There's been no time today," she said, looking a bit sheepish, "And Sho hasn't had much either."

Despite her normally polite and considerate attitude, Kyouko barely heard her. She had chewed Tsuruga-san out numerous times trying to convince him to eat all three meals a day, of proper nutritional value, and so to go back and skip this next meal, even if it was just dinner and she wouldn't do much until morning, after breakfast, got under her skin. It would be a disservice to her sempai if she said one thing to him and then turned around and became a hypocrite, even if it was only one meal. Plus, she knew that was probably how Tsuruga-san had started; one meal here, one meal there, what did it matter? Except it did matter in the long run, and she was determined to not end up like Tsuruga-san, having to rely on a greenhorn in the entertainment industry to remind her to eat regularly.

So the prospect of eating with Sho was looking more and more acceptable, until she realized that it was exactly that: she would eat with Shotaro. Just like in the old days, before she cut and dyed her hair. God only knew what memories that would dredge up. And the compulsions and reactions she had had trained from years of sitting down to dinner with him every night would surface, embarrassing herself to no end. No, no, no, she'll apologize to Tsuruga-san later. She just won't eat tonight.

"Maybe a restaurant?" said Shouko-san, "There's that new one that opened last week that everyone's raving about. What about there?"

Sho shrugged, and looked away.

No! There was no way Mogami Kyouko was going to eat at a restaurant with Sho, where there were plenty of fangirls waiting to take pictures with their cell phones, and the pictures making their way to the Internet, and then somehow Tsuruga-san finding out about it! There was no way Kyouko was going to stand for this! But she couldn't very well point that out in front of Shouko-san. So there was only one choice left; lie, and lie well.

"Uhm…," said Kyouko, trying to look for a way out, "I'm not all that hungry. I had a lot at lunch."

_Liar, _Sho's face accused, though he didn't say that out loud.

"Really? But you said you hadn't eaten yet," Shouko-san remarked.

"Yeah, well, there was a lot to eat at the buffet…" explained Kyouko, hoping she wouldn't be caught in the lie later.

"You could cook then," Sho said, his face and body telling Kyouko that he knew she was lying about having already eaten, but was also not thrilled with the possibility of pictures of them eating together surfacing on the Internet. He was also avoiding that development, and was giving her a way out.

"Me?" Kyouko said, taken aback, "But that would be rude to Shouko-san for me to use her kitchen like that. She's already doing a lot for me."

Shouko laughed. "I think if it would be rude to anyone, it would be you, Kyouko. You are the guest here, y'know. But if you don't mind that, then I don't mind if you use my kitchen." _Obviously not, _she added in her head, _otherwise I wouldn't let you make chocolates_.

Kyouko looked from Shouko-san to Sho, wondering if this was better. On one hand, she wouldn't have to worry about any pictures if it was a private apartment. On the other hand, she didn't want to fall into the trap of preparing meals for Shotaro again. But how could she? She was a very different girl than the one that had woken up at 5 AM to make his bento for the day. The chances of a relapse were so far below zero it was kissing oblivion. Directing a quizzical glance at a nearby demon, (she had forced most of them back inside her body, out of politeness to Shouko-san, but kept a dozen or so floating, firmly chained to her side) she asked its opinion. Stunned by being asked this by the master, the demon froze for a second before recovering itself. In that moment, though, the other demons clamored around her, trying to get their opinion aired. Realizing that Shouko-san was waiting for her answer, Kyouko silenced them all and beamed, a la Tsuruga Ren-style, saying the first words that came to her mouth:

"I'd love to cook for you."

* * *

What was she trying to do?

Murder him? Admittedly, with her cooking skills and training, she could make Sho's food lethal and no one would ever be able to pin it directly on her. But Sho had always though Kyouko would have never gone for the jugular like that. To do that would be simple, blind retaliation to his rejection of her, and very unlike Kyouko. She wanted his fall to be gradual, a calculated descent, slowly losing his fan base and tumbling back to anonymity, blinded by her light. That's not what would happen, of course, but he may one day be forced to acknowledge her, which would be revenge enough, in Sho's mind. But he never thought she'd want to actually kill him. Drive him to suicide, well, that's always a possibility. But be his murderess? Was that really what she wanted?

Sho took a step back from the brilliant smile she put on, thoroughly confused by her radiance, the happiness that was in every millimeter of that smile. Shouko looked a bit flustered as well, as if she hadn't thought of this response, and agreed to let Kyouko stop by the corner store one more time to purchase groceries. Sho had merely followed the two women, trying to keep his steps in a straight line. Since when did she have such a lovely smile? He couldn't remember a time when she was that outwardly luminous. She had always had a quiet passion, burning in the back, the only way to be aware of it was if you knew her. But this was so…obvious. You didn't even have to know her to know she was happy. But _why_?

There was no reason for her to be happy about cooking for him. Absolutely none. He wasn't an idiot, he didn't believe she had changed her mind about him and was now in love with him again. No, of course not. She was hostile towards him a few hours ago, and her attitude hadn't changed until that moment when she had smiled. So the only logical explanation Sho could come up with was that she had somehow managed to plot his demise in that second she had looked to the side, as if seeking the answer. He had seen the ripple of hatred from the spot she had stared at, but was used to these phenomenons around Kyouko. He had accepted that her hatred for him was so great it had taken on a different form and could be projected outwardly. That did nothing to explain why she had such a large smile on her face when she agreed to cook for him (admittedly for Shouko as well) when she was supposed to hate him.

Sometimes, the girl still confused him. Sometimes, he wanted nothing more than again to make those great gold eyes look at him with such awe that the soul behind the eyes had no choice but to spill every secret. Sometimes, he wanted her trust again. Only so he could figure out what the hell that smile meant and who the hell taught it to her.

They made it to the car, and Kyouko slipped in the backseat, aware that Sho was probably going to claim shotgun, and Shouko would drive. Her eyes widened as she realized that Sho was sliding in next to her, in the backseat. She looked from Shouko to Sho, uncomprehending. It nearly made Sho laugh, that such an innocent and torn expression could be made with the same face that could make such horrible faces of hatred and fury. He hadn't forgotten her many challenges to him, nor her face she made to Reino in Karuizawa. It was just hard to remember when she looked so close to the girl he had known for more than a decade of his life.

"He never rides in the front," Shouko explained, sensing Kyouko's question even while it remained unspoken, "The tinting on the windows is too light for him to not be recognized."

"Oh. Is that it?" Kyouko said, comprehension dawning on her face. Now that she thought about it, Tsuruga-san's car windows were extremely dark. Small wonder, now that she was confronted with this reality of show business.

"Yes," said Shouko, putting the car in reverse. _Of course, _Shouko continued in her mind, _usually he has a lot more room to stretch his legs because no one is with him back there and he can lie down…but this little experience may be good for him. Besides, after saying famous stars can't ride in the front seat of this car, it would be rude to invite her up here. Sorry, Sho, _she added, not feeling "sorry" in the least.

She glanced in the rearview mirror, only to smile slightly at their twin expressions; neither looking at the other, both looking out the window but neither really seeing the parking garage. Shouko looked back and forth between the two faces, wondering if maybe agreeing to this wasn't that great of a plan after all. What could they accomplish if neither of them tried anything?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Wow, they get so OOC in this chapter. Well, hope you enjoy! Okonomiyaki is a traditional Osaka dish, and not from Kyoto necessarily, but Osaka and Kyoto are close enough geographically that I decided to use it anyway. The word "okonomiyaki" means "what you want, grilled". It's called "the Japanese pizza". You can wiki it if you want. Dashi, anori, and katsuoboshi are ingredients in okonomiyaki. Wiki those as well. ;) R&R please! And thank you bunches to everyone who's subscribed, favorited and reviewed already! You don't know how much that helps with writer's block! :)**

**To hitsugaya07, I love their relationship, but the manga's probably going to end up with Ren x Kyouko. I've got no problems with that pairing, though. As long as Sho and Kyouko end up with a somewhat good relationship, I can deal with a Ren x Kyouko ending. I'm probably going to mess around with them more after this fic, and maybe even a little Reino x Kyouko O.O. What can I say, canon pairings bore me. ;)**

* * *

Standing in the store, Kyouko wondered about her sanity.

In all honesty, she never thought of her mental state. For a very long time, she lived for the love of one man, and then found out he had used that love for his own selfish desires. From that moment on she lived with her hatred of said man, and had recently found acting to supplement the rest of her missing emotions and such. But she never thought she was crazy before. She wasn't hallucinating or hearing voices (other than that of her beloved demons, of course) or even depressed for long periods of time. Her last bout of depression was, when, Sho's PV? And that could be expected in that situation. So wondering if she should see a therapist soon had never crossed her mind.

Until she found herself standing in a store, debating on whether she should buy garlic or pepper or if Shouko-san had either of those two seasonings, did she contemplate insanity.

_I mean, _Kyouko thought to herself as she shrugged and put both garlic and pepper in her basket, _how sane can a girl be after being discarded like that? And devoting my life to him even though I hate him, that's not really sane is it? Not to mention that I'm now going to go to his new apartment and cook for him. Keep on laughing, gods who decided all this, because you're the only ones who are. _

Sighing, Kyouko looked down to her basket, running through a mental checklist. _Meat, check. Vegetables, check. Cabbage, check. Dashi, check. Anori, check. Sauce, check. Katsuobushi, check. Pickled ginger, check. Eggs, check. Cheese, check. Mayonnaise, check. Flour, check. Special heating pan I don't think Shouko-san has, check. _She walked up to the registers, using the money Sho had given her earlier to pay for the groceries. The woman behind the counter ran all of the products through the machine, and bagged each one of them, thanking Kyouko for her patronage. Somehow able to smile, but nearly as brightly as before in the dressing room, she exited the store, looking at a nearby clock to see that it had taken her all of ten minutes to get everything. Without having to worry overly much about quality, she was able to shop much more efficiently.

Glancing around, she looked for Shouko-san's car. She had dropped Kyouko off at the front entrance, promising to park near the front so Kyouko could easily find them again. Kyouko wondered if maybe Shouko-san hadn't been able to make good on that promise because of lack of parking space. It was dusk already, and Kyouko had to shade her eyes against the harsh lamplight to see anything past the first few rows of cars.

Was that them, in the fourth row? It looked like Shouko-san was telling Sho something. What could they be talking about?

* * *

Having already dropped Kyouko-chan off at the front entrance, Shouko was able to park in a space moderately close to the entrance. She hoped Kyouko-chan would be able to find them.

Shouko leaned back in her seat and unbuckled her seatbelt, people-watching the shoppers. They were a lot different than the people Shouko was usually able to people-watch. None of these people where musicians or actors, they all had regular jobs or school. They didn't dress extravagantly or deal with talents all day. These people before her were, for better or worse, fairly normal people whose only exposure to the entertainment industry was when they turned on the TV or the radio. It was strangely refreshing to see how they lived their lives. If she had entered the acting world and had failed, as she was sure she would have, this was what her life would be like. The thought didn't depress her, or fill her with pity, but was just a cold awareness that, unless Sho could survive the miraculous leap from "star of the moment" to "musical legend", she would have to find a new talent to nurture, or else have to find a desk job. Putting that thought out of her head, this was obviously not the time to think of that, she returned to watching them.

A great number of them were apparently busy workers who didn't have time to shop during the day, because they rushed in to buy food before rushing back to their cars, hoping to catch the last few minutes of some popular soap. _No, that's not right, _Shouko thought. This was prime-time right now on television. Only the best and most popular shows would be on right now, not some half-endorsed soap operas. Who knew? Maybe _Dark Moon _would be on tonight. Contemplating that, Shouko shifted her eyes to the rearview mirror, looking at Sho's expression. As usual, he had an unreadable look on his face, and she couldn't figure out what he was thinking about even if she tried. How would he react to the scary, terrifying Mio while the actress who played her was cooking in the other room?

"Hey, Sho," said Shouko, still trying to think of what to say as the words were coming out of her mouth.

Sho's eyes shifted, not to Shouko's back or head where she thought they would, but straight at the mirror, as if he knew he would find her eyes there. He didn't flinch or look away, just maintained eye contact through the mirror. His face morphed into his look that meant _Go ahead, talk_.

"What do you think of Kyouko-chan?" she asked, fairly quietly and gently.

His eyes flashed. Confusion, contempt, annoyance and aggravation were the emotions Shouko could decipher in his expression. But then he slipped behind the composed mask, and only the annoyance and a tiny hint of feigned amusement remained.

"You know what I think of her, Shouko-san," he said, leaning back, rolling his eyes a bit, "You don't need to ask."

"I meant as an actress. What do you think of Kyouko-chan as an actress?" This time his composure didn't slip, leaving Shouko only the hard eyes that narrowed ever so slightly.

He sighed, acting indifference. He even crossed his legs, something Shouko hadn't seen him do since they got in the car. But he still had yet to unbuckle his seatbelt, and he remained upright in his seat, which was unusual for him. For any other person Shouko would expect to find Sho laying down on the backseat the moment they were out of the car. Was he wary of Kyouko-chan's reaction to finding part of his body in her seat?

"In _Prisoner_ she was okay. Competent, I guess. Once she got over her mental block."

"Are you referring to when she really tried to strangle you? Twice?"

Sho swallowed, as if reassuring himself his throat was still there and in working order, before he continued.

"Yeah. Though I didn't expect to see her able to do it. Kill me while not killing me, I mean. I thought I really would have to fire her."

Shouko blinked, but schooled the rest of her reaction. Sho being surprised was…confusing her. The rest of the set had been astounded by her transformation from homicidal avenger to the disciplined actress she was after she took some time to herself. Shouko's own jaw had dropped. Looking back, Sho himself had appeared fairly unnerved by the difference. But the way he was wording it now was almost…complimenting Kyouko-chan.

_Interesting, _thought Shouko, already planning her next attack.

"But what about _Dark Moon_? What'd you think of her then?" Shouko asked, keeping her voice inquiring, not allowing him to see her hidden agenda.

Sho lifted an eyebrow in surprise, as if questioning her question.

"Haven't seen her in that," he said, dismissing the thought. He probably would have waved a hand if they weren't firmly crossed over his chest. "Why would I?"

"Well, she _is_ your enemy, isn't she?" Shouko said, shifting a bit and looking out the window for Kyouko-chan, "If you don't follow her a bit, she'll end up surprising you with her skills later." He opened his mouth, probably about to disagree and end all discussion, but Shouko got there first. "I'm not saying stalk her progress or anything. Just every once in a while watch something of hers. An episode or two, that's all. I never thought she'd turn out to be an actress either, but hey, she did. And she's in LME, that's pretty big for a newcomer. Not to mention Tsuruga backing her. I heard through the grapevine that he defended her on set of _Dark Moon _and he seems fairly concerned of her. If you dismiss her completely, she'll win eventually."

Somewhere in her lecture something seemed to strike home. Maybe it was the LME reference, or the Tsuruga one. Maybe he loathed the idea of her beating him, or some other thing Shouko didn't think of. When it came to Kyouko-chan and Sho, she didn't know anymore.

"I'm not concerned of the acting industry. I'm not involved in it at all. Me renting or watching that stuff will look weird." Sho said, rolling his eyes.

"If that's all your concerned about, let me worry about that. I am your manager, after all. And if she somehow, against all odds, manages to get far enough in this industry, and gets to you, then I will have failed as your manager. Let me help a bit, okay?"

Sho remained silent, and though his eyes had long since returned to staring at the cars around them, Shouko could tell there was some calculating part of his brain whirring, trying to factor in Shouko's involvement with the impossible odds Kyouko was up against in order to extract her revenge.

"Ah! Speak of the devil! There's Kyouko-chan," Shouko started up the engine, snapping in her seatbelt.

_Devil, _thought Sho, _a fitting description._

* * *

"Sorry it took a while," said Kyouko as she slid in the car.

"Not at all, Kyouko-chan," said Shouko-san as she put the car in gear and backed out of the parking space. "So, what are you making tonight?"

"Okonomiyaki. Do you like it, Shouko-san?"

_What was she thinking? _Sho wondered. Shouko-san didn't have the stove for okonomiyaki, and Kyouko should know that. Sho looked at the bags leaning against Kyouko's leg, along with the bag with her chocolate ingredients, and his eyes widened slightly as he saw the shape of a box straining against the plastic. She bought a pan for that. Some plug-in thing she could make okonomiyaki on. That must have cost a lot…did she have to use her own money to make up the difference?

"Okonomiyaki? That's an interesting choice," Shouko-san said, frowning slightly as she thought of the logistics of Kyouko making the meal.

"It's been a long time since I've prepared it. I hope I can do it justice," said Kyouko, shrugging, not sensing Shouko-san's debate: Tell Kyouko she didn't have a way to cook okonomiyaki, or let her find out and make something less specialized.

"How much money do you have left?" Sho said, his eyes sliding to her accusingly. She met his stare with equal strength, like a handshake.

"Why do you want to know?" she asked, her pleasant tone from when she was talking to Shouko-san gone the moment Sho entered the conversation.

"Why do you need to know my reasons?" he countered, a sneer forming on the opposite side of his face. Kyouko couldn't see it, but she could sense it.

"If you don't tell yours, I don't feel the need to tell mine," Kyouko said shrugging, her hands twitching into fists.

Sho sighed, breaking eye contact, staring at the back of the passenger seat.

"Reimbursement," he said simply, his gaze returning to Kyouko, this time an eyebrow quirked as if to say _Wanna make something of it?_

Kyouko lifted an eyebrow of her own, turning her face a bit towards him. She admitted defeat, and said, just as simply, "¥30."

"Of your own money?" asked Sho, the eyebrow lifting slightly again.

"No. Left over from what you gave me earlier," she said, a bit of ice edging its way into her voice.

Sho nodded his head, just slightly, enough so it should be impossible to see in the darkened car, but Kyouko caught it nonetheless. He broke eye contact, and stared out at the skyscrapers they were passing. Kyouko did the same through her own window. Shouko, now aware of the tension between the two, was trying to remember a neutral topic of conversation that wouldn't incite one of them further.

"How often did you make okonomiyaki in the past, Kyouko-chan?" asked Shouko, desperately hoping she wouldn't make one of them mad.

Caught off guard by the question, Kyouko's voice automatically became more courteous. "Uhm, let's see, about once every week or every other week maybe? It's kind of hard to tell. It depended on the time of year."

"Wow, so often…" whistled Shouko, keeping an eye on the atmosphere between the two. Sho seemed to be apathetically oblivious to their conversation, even relaxing his arms a bit. Kyouko-chan seemed to perk up a bit, happy to not have to talk with Sho. Shouko took her chances and continued. "Why did it depend?"

"Well, the seasons changed and new demands were put on the kitchens, so the menu changed as well. Sometimes I'd cook it every other day, others a month and a half went by and I didn't cook it once."

"Where did you work?" asked Shouko, now genuinely curious.

Kyouko-chan stiffened a bit, but since her posture was normally so perfect and they were driving in the near-dark, Shouko missed it. Sho however, shifted in his seat, also a bit uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking, and Shouko caught that.

"A traditional inn," said Kyouko-chan, a tad carefully, as if she didn't want to get too far.

"Wow," said Shouko, honestly impressed, "That's quite the job. Is that where you learned to sit like that? So straight and proper all the time, I mean."

"Yes." said Kyouko-chan, revealing enough to satisfy Shouko's question, but not enough to raise another, "I was taught that a hostess should always have her back perfectly straight. It's second nature now."

"How long did you work there, for it to become second nature?" Shouko wasn't trying to push that hard, but it seemed like she was close to a little core of truth they both neglected to tell her.

"Years. I don't know exactly how long anymore," said Kyouko, trying to put on a nonchalant air while envying Sho's privilege of staying silent through this conversation. _You're part of this as well! _she yelled silently, _I was working at your house after all! _But she said nothing, knowing he wouldn't take part no matter how much Kyouko needed him to butt in and save her miserable self from talking too much. Not that she didn't want Shouko-san to know, but that she just didn't want to think about this right now. It was already veering into dangerous waters.

"How old were you?" Shouko said, "After all, you're what, seventeen now? And you've been in the entertainment industry for almost a year, and then there was the…" Shouko tried to word it delicately without seeming to think about it too much, "…time you spent in Tokyo before you took up acting. You had to be what, fifteen, sixteen, when you quit your old job? Or are you still working?" That last one seemed a bit far-fetched. How could a full-time actress be able to work at a traditional inn? Shouko didn't know much about those businesses, but she imagined them to be fairly complex and involved enterprises.

"Uhm, I was fifteen when I quit my old job. I'd been working there for a very long time though."_ Nearly nine years, _she thought ruefully. _Nine years I worked there. I learned a lot, but I'll never get that time back._

"You must have been very dedicated to it," said Shouko gently, trying to ease the bad air that was building, ever so slowly back there, "To be able to work for years when you're so young."

"I'm working at a restaurant now. They're also fairly traditional, but I like it there," said Kyouko-chan, grasping onto a fairly new topic. "Part-time work, anyway."

"Oh? Really? But isn't your schedule…?" Shouko trailed off, trying to find an appropriate word.

"Hectic? Erratic?" Kyouko supplied, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Yes, but Tashio-san and Okami-san understand. They cut me a lot of slack. More than I deserve."

"Still…you must be so busy. How do you see your friends?" Shouko asked, the words out of her mouth before she could consider them. Sho twitched a bit at that, and he didn't appear to be paying attention to Tokyo anymore.

"I see Moko-san enough through Love Me work," Kyouko said, aware of Shouko's blunder and Sho's reaction, but continuing on normally anyway, "And I went over to her house to help her make Valentine's chocolates. I manage," Kyouko shrugged, though she seemed a bit happier to be talking about this "Moko-san".

"What's she like?" asked Shouko, simultaneously satisfying her own curiosity as well as Sho's. What kind of friend would Kyouko find after her relationship with Sho?

"She's an amazing actress!" Kyouko enthused, her eyes sparkling a bit, though not nearly as much as usual when Kanae was mentioned, because Sho's presence dampened the excitement. "I'm lucky to be in the same section as her! I'm surprised the president hasn't given her a debut yet, though with his crazy ideas on love, I guess it's not too surprising. Still, I think she'll be able to get to the top without a debut. She did brilliantly at the auditions! She can memorize an entire script in about a minute, and can summon up crocodile tears like none other. I'm glad to have her as a friend."

Shouko, reeling from the mini-speech on "Moko-san's" good points, was a bit surprised Kyouko didn't say anything about what kind of person her friend was, only her talents as an actress.

"And?" asked Sho, a bit of a mocking frown working its way across his face, "So that's it? She's a good actress for a newcomer. That's all you have to say about your 'friend'?"

"Well, that's how I first knew her as," said Kyouko, "But she's a good person. Even if she can be a bit difficult to understand at times, she has reasons for what she does. She's not the type to open up on her own, so getting information out of her is a job in and of itself. I guess to a lot of people she comes off as a bit cold, but once you get to know her, it's endearing. She doesn't like people worrying about her, and will cover up her own problems. She knows the best places to talk about my problems so no one will overhear, though. She's great and I'm lucky to know her!"

Shouko having just gotten off the shock of the first speech, was now hit by the second, though it wasn't nearly as enthusiastic as the first, but more understanding. Kyouko-chan no longer sounded like a fan following an actress, but finally like a girl talking about her friend. But one thing bugged Shouko. How could the happy, fairly carefree Kyouko become friends with a girl who was aloof and standoffish? Kyouko-chan had only mentioned it, but Shouko still wondered how the two girls had reacted to each other the first they met. Those qualities didn't seem to be the type to attract Kyouko-chan.

_You're a bit more complicated than I thought, huh, Kyouko-chan? _thought Shouko.

* * *

Fuwa Sho was suddenly filled with strange sympathy for this mysterious "Moko-san".

Sho knew exactly how Kyouko got around people who acted like they didn't care. Sho knew how she clung and smiled and endeared herself. He could picture with no trouble just how "Moko-san" had agreed to be Kyouko's friend. He knew it wouldn't take much, because when Kyouko took a liking to you, there was no stopping the inevitable relationship. Sho himself had resisted Kyouko when he first met her, but eventually raised the white flag. Kyouko's friendship, once she decided she wanted it, was like a force of nature--unstoppable. Small wonder this unknown girl had fallen for Kyouko. Honestly, he didn't need to see it to know what had happened. He could even imagine how the girl felt when she first saw she'd hurt her friend. How she would want to make it up to her, and get that luminescent smile back on Kyouko's face. To Sho, it was crystal clear how the friendship had developed.

Halfheartedly, he wondered if the pattern would persist even farther, and wondered if "Moko" would end up betraying Kyouko as well.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Okay, so I took a few liberties with Sho and Kyouko's past. A few of these things are made up by me, and not in the original, though I tried to keep it as close as to what is the most probable as possible. Thanks everyone for reading, subscribing, favoriting and reviewing! Please, enjoy. :)**

Honestly, what was it with big stars and empty kitchens?

When she had prepared food for Tsuruga-san when he was sick, she had had to run out to the store in the middle of the night, just to buy what she needed to make breakfast. Thank God it had been a 24-hour store. And then when Yashiro-san had asked her to cook for Tsuruga-san when he was having trouble with Katsuki, she had planned ahead and bought ingredients beforehand. But every time she thought of that first occurence, when she couldn't find anything remotely connected to breakfast in his apartment, she got a little ticked. How on earth did that man survive? Didn't he realize just how important breakfast was to concentrating during the day? That nutrition was not something to be taken lightly? That his kitchen was a near crime? And Sho's kitchen was hardly any better.

The fridge had a ton of beer, which Kyouko expected, and a lot of junk food, which was also predicted, and a few of the necessities, like bread and cold-cuts. But looking at the rest, she knew Sho didn't touch any of it, only Shouko-san. Sho didn't eat fruits, thinking they were too sweet, so the apples and bananas were out, he didn't like yogurt or any cheese in the fridge, and he only ate eggs when he had to, on a side, not as a meal in and of itself.

Absentmindedly wondering what Sho _did _eat now that Kyouko wasn't cooking all the meals for him, Kyouko set up the pan and got out the ingredients to make the dough for the okonomiyaki. While she was waiting for the pan to get hot enough to cook the food, she prepared the dough.

Taking the knife down from the cupboard, she tossed the ball of cabbage into the air, like the beginning of the katsura technique, and slashed through it twice, creating three pieces of cabbage. But instead of continuing on with the katsura and thinly cutting the edges off and around, creating a rose, Kyouko caught all three in midair and laid them on the cutting board. Then she began her cutlery wizardry.

* * *

Shouko, who had opted out of joining Sho in the living room where he was working out the bridge to one of the new songs, had stayed in the kitchen, curious to see how a professional prepared okonomiyaki. Sure, she had gone to a restaurant with some girlfriends and ordered it before, even having the food prepared in front of her. But she wondered if maybe this was different. After all, there was a huge difference in preparing food for strangers for money than when you prepare food for people you know, if maybe not necessarily like.

_The question is, though,_ thought Shouko, _does Sho like okonomiyaki or not? _Did Kyouko-chan prepare something that Sho would enjoy, or did she make a point to tell Sho just how different things were and so was purposefully spiting him? In the car, the only thing Sho seemed to care about was money, and hadn't reacted at all to the okonomiyaki itself. _So frustrating, _Shouko continued, _not knowing these two's emotions. How am I supposed to do anything, unless I learn to read their minds?_

So she was there, absorbed in her own thoughts, sitting on one of the bar stools at the counter behind Kyouko-chan, where she had been assured she would be out of Kyouko-chan's way, when Kyouko-chan took as step back from her workstation and threw the head of cabbage up into the air, cutting it neatly into three pieces with all the skill of someone who's done this a thousand times before, before she caught them. It had been done so efficiently and without ceremony that Shouko, at first, couldn't believe she just saw what she just did. The girl had just, what, thrown up a cabbage into the air before slicing through it, and then neatly caught it again and returned to her work? Was that really what had just happened?

And yet Shouko no longer had any time to contemplate that, because Kyouko-chan was at it again, chopping the lettuce into little pieces, so sure of her blade that she didn't even seem to realize just how close her delicate hands were to the wickedly sharp silver arc. Because that's all it was. A silver arc glinting in the overhead light of the kitchen, here then gone, there then gone again. Shouko couldn't fathom being that fast with such a sharp object. There was no miscalculation, no suspicion of failure of the girl's art. She probably considered it no more than chopping cabbage, something she'd done so many times before. To Shouko, who watched with growing shock as the large pieces of cabbage quickly diminished to a pile of slips and slivers, it was like watching a man juggle pure fire. There was only one thought in her head--_How can it be done?_

Without pause, Kyouko-chan pushed aside the cabbage and reached for a bowl, deftly picked up an egg from the open carton, snapping it in two with one hand and adding dashi with the other. She then leveled off a cup of flour and added that in as well, beating the thing with a wire whisk for a few minutes. After the first minute, Shouko's eyes widened a bit more. How could the girl keep up the original pace? Shouko had cooked before in the kitchen as well, and hated whisking above all else. Her wrist had ached after the first bit, with the repetitive motion and so had cheated by using her entire arm. But Kyouko-chan just kept going, the movement made up entirely of the wrist. Such professionalism in a seventeen year old! If this girl didn't make it to the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, no star had the talent to do so. This amount of discipline was beyond that of a girl who just laid around home and only worked for money. Filled with sudden envy, Shouko watched hungrily as Kyouko-chan moved onto the next part.

Having already added the cabbage to her dashi-flour-egg mixture, Kyouko-chan checked the temperature of the electric frying pan briefly, before nodding to herself and taking out another cutting board. This time she took the raw meat and a new knife, and sliced it with such precision and confidence that Shouko, who had retained a tiny bit of doubt as to how much the girl had worked in a traditional inn, was now convinced that Kyouko-chan had been born into an old family, and had been raised like this, from the time she was able to sit up straight in her high chair and hold a knife. How else could she know exactly how the meat was marbled, so as to cut through it straight, never having to fight the meat at all? It cut like warmed butter, as if it had no sinew or resistance at all.

Kyouko-chan moved, a brisk side-step motion, to the sink. With a snap of her wrist she turned on the faucet to hot, and waited a few seconds before the stream of water was as warm as she wanted before washing her hands, cutting board and knife in the water.

Using the time to center herself again, Shouko blinked, finally aware of something other than Kyouko-chan. The guitar music in the other room had turned different, so much so that Shouko wasn't sure it was the same song Sho had been working on before. This one was more poignant, more introspective. An electric guitar should not be able to make such soft, heartfelt music as it was now. Wasn't that what an acoustic guitar was for? But then she realized that Sho, having heard the motions of Kyouko-chan making his dinner, for the first time in God knows how long, had finally appreciated the situation and had grown reminiscent of the time when this was probably the norm. What was coming out of his guitar wasn't for anyone's ears, especially not Shouko's.

But then movement caught Shouko's eye again, and she watched in amazement as Kyouko-chan began chopping the other vegetables that would serve as toppings and then grilled the meal that Shouko was sure was going to be the best she had had in a long time.

* * *

How long has it been?

Since Kyouko was in the other room, while he lounged on the sofa, listening to her in her element, her medium, her art--the kitchen. Because Kyouko had always been at her most beautiful while she was cooking. The dedication, the accuracy, the skill, the _joy_. The joy that was present on her face every time she made something spectacular. He could remember when he had been standing in the doorway, watching as she bustled around the kitchen, seemingly no more special than any of the other employees at his parent's inn, when he had realized that maybe marrying her someday wasn't such a horrible thing after all.

Of course, now, even if he wanted to marry Kyouko, to get down on one knee, into the most humiliating pose ever conceived by womankind, to lay himself bare for her consideration, he still wouldn't marry her. She hated him now, and there was probably nothing in this world he could do that could change that. She wasn't even making this food willingly, just cutting a deal; _you don't tell anyone I did this, and I'll cook for you_. That's why she was doing this, as a way to buy his silence. And it just might be working.

Not that he would even consider talking about this. In addition to his own embarrassment as having that girl, a childhood friend, in his apartment, and admitting to her cooking for him, like some stupid, sappy couple from a chick flick, he'd also have to deal with the fallout from Kyouko herself. And he couldn't give Reino more room to work, because if he knew that Kyouko was cooking for Sho, he just might get ideas for his next torture of Kyouko. He hadn't spent his time in Karuizawa protecting Kyouko for nothing; he'd never willingly let Reino have more leverage against her. It still angered him that she had been able to be tricked out of one of her demons, whose fellows were now loitering in the air, keeping an eye on Sho while he was out of their master's sight, and had to be blackmailed into doing this to begin with. So talking to anyone about this was out of the question. If Shouko-san brought it up, he'd end the conversation early, no matter the setting around them.

Still, even though he was planning and plotting and drawing sadistic, though a tad righteous, pleasure out of visualizing Reino's hideous and gory end, the smells that slowly starting wafting out of the kitchen as Kyouko started grilling were driving him mad. They brought back thousands of images of Kyouko, smiling and happy, glad that Sho liked her food, and of Kyouko working in the kitchen, playing for an audience of one, Sho always slipping in and watching her, Kyouko herself oblivious to his presence. It was one of the only times he had managed to be near her without her being constantly aware of him. Normally, and it didn't matter where her back was turned or where he entered or how quiet he was, she would immediately pick up on him entering the room, or sometimes the building itself. He had thought it was a sixth sense, and his parents had gotten that look in their eyes when they saw her exercising this power. The look that said, _See? She will become a worthy wife for our Shotaro. We can leave him in her hands, she will never let anything happen to him. Look how conscious she is of him already!_

So to trump both them and her, he had made it a point that it was possible for Kyouko to become so absorbed in something she wouldn't register his presence. He stood behind her, watching her make the food for the guests, sometimes able to get within inches of her before she turned and looked at him, smiling. A few times he had startled her when she turned around too fast for him to get out of the way, and had dropped things. Once she had nearly impaled him with a knife she was carrying. That didn't deter him from trying again, though she didn't sink herself into that cooking-trance for months after the incident. He had never spoke a word of this to his parents, but they both knew what he was doing; trying to rebel a bit more each time.

And now, he, as Japan's soon-to-be greatest star and ultimate bishonen, had often scorned normal men's lives. A nine-to-five job, getting nothing done in a day, then going home every evening to a wife or girlfriend who made a meal, lovingly, for you every single night was the depths of boring to him. Becoming spoiled by so many heavy meals and gaining weight was out of the question for Sho. Long ago he had decided to never again be influenced by the comforts of a home. He had left his own in Kyoto to that end. And now, the temptation nearly on his lips, he would simply not allow himself to be swayed by her and her cooking. Not again. Not even by those goddamn good aromas.

But, sweet Jesus, it was like coming home again.

* * *

"Itadakimasu!" Shouko-san nearly sang as she snapped her chopsticks open.

"Itadakimasu," Sho echoed, not meeting Kyouko's eyes.

"I hope you enjoy it," said Kyouko politely, more out of courtesy than any real feeling. She watched as both Shouko-san and Sho dug into the food, Shouko-san realizing she didn't need chopsticks and heartily tucking in to the okonomiyaki with her bare hands. Sho, however, began with the white rice that Kyouko always served with the meals she prepared. She eyed him for a moment, trying to gauge his emotions, before lifting her own piece of okonomiyaki to her mouth and eating it.

Using long-since-practiced skills, Kyouko analyzed her own cooking. She hadn't lied to Shouko-san earlier; it had been a long time since she had prepared okonomiyaki, a few years in fact. And so she knew the presentation would be less than flawless, which was what she had always striven for at the inn, andso to do anything less bothered her.

The dough on the outside was a bit undercooked and so it had an unattractive consistency in the shell. The ingredients within were cooked well enough, but the pork and the dashi weren't as compatible as she had thought; a drawback she hadn't anticipated. But the crisp spring onions, retaining just enough of the snap to give the dish a bit of variety and yet not near as sharp as it normally was provided a nice balance. Coupled with the near perfect cabbage-to-egg/water/dashi ratio, the meal wasn't all that horrible at all.

After a few bites of the okonomiyaki, she reached for the rice, hoping Shouko-san's rice cooker had brought the rice to the perfect fluff and taste. She hadn't had much time to check it, though, as the okonomiyaki had drawn most of her attention during the cook time. Bringing it to her mouth, Kyouko decided that, though not perfect, it wasn't terrible, and so she had to be content. All in all, for a meal she hadn't known she was making until a few hours ago, it was fairly good. And she could be satisfied with that. Next up, though, were the chocolates.

"So, Kyouko-chan, what are you working on now?" ventured Shouko-san, having realized after several minutes of enjoying the wonderful meal Kyouko-chan had made that they were eating in silence, had decided to open a conversation.

"Uhm, nothing new," said Kyouko carefully, having just been brought out of her critique and still wary of Sho's presence, "I mean, no offers have come in yet for a new drama, but I'm still doing _Dark Moon _and _Box "R", _and I'm thinking of another commercial. There were some flyers at the Talent Section I picked up."

"Really? What product is it for?" asked Shouko-san before taking another big bite of the delicious food. Really, what couldn't this girl do?

"Cosmetics, mostly," Kyouko said, shrugging. "Though one was for a new movie theatre opening soon." Kyouko didn't know if she had the time to even audition for them yet, considering her schedule, and she wasn't sure if it was appropriate for Mio and Natsu to appear for a garden-variety commercial. But Otou-san said a young actress like her couldn't afford to be picky, so she was considering it.

"Don't take them," came Sho's voice.

Both Shouko-san and Kyouko looked at Sho in surprise. He hadn't said a word beyond the usual politeness since the car ride. Now, he was looking down at his food, and both women noted he was eating less than usual, but he raised his gaze to levelly meet Kyouko's. His face was unreadable.

"What?" asked Kyouko, surprised and a bit taken aback, "Why shouldn't I?"

Sho sighed, and took another bite of rice before he answered.

"You've already been on TV, in one of the most popular dramas of the year, as a scary little witch of a girl. Now you're in another one, as the sadistic bully. One, the images of those two girls aren't what the producers of the commercial want, and that'll reflect poorly on the product. Two, you shouldn't have to stoop that low for jobs. Whatever happened to you being one of the newcomers to keep an eye on? Wait for deals to come. If you're in the spotlight too much, the audience grows bored with you. Stay low for a while and wait for the new seasons to start at the beginning of summer. If you haven't gotten more offers by then, go ahead and do a few commercials. But give it some time first. Half this game's knowing the right time, anyway."

After this little speech, Sho held Kyouko's gaze for a few minutes before dropping it to resume eating.

_What the hell?_ thought Kyouko, staring at Sho in disbelief, _Is he...looking out for me? Giving me advice? Mentoring me?!?! No way! This has got to be another one of those "Fuwa Shotaro Moments Not Understood by Mogami Kyouko" situations, right under that time he was about to say something at that staircase in Karuizawa when Tsuruag-san interrupted. There's nothing to explain this! Why would he help an enemy? Or does he consider me such an insignificant existence that I'm no threat at all? Wait, calm down, Kyouko. Don't let 'em see you sweat. Just act like you know what's going on. And as soon as possible, wipe that smirk off Shotaro's face!_

* * *

What was she thinking?

She may be a newcomer in show business, and in need of the celebrity to get her career off the ground, but she had a PV and two dramas under her belt. She had no reason to pay her dues anymore, not with her career as it was now. If she was going to have a smooth ride to the top, then she should take full advantage of it and not worry about jobs. Jobs would come if she could pull off the roles.

Jobs…what about that pink uniform she was wearing when she was working on his PV? Shouko-san later told him that the uniform was part of some stupid section in LME, and the work was fairly embarrassing. Not to mention the stares she got whenever she went anywhere in that outfit. What could she possibly tell the interviewers someday when they asked her about it? That wouldn't forever condemn her as an incompetent and naïve girl? What was she thinking, getting to the top that way?

This was intolerable…honestly, what was he supposed to do, hold her hand all the way up to the top? He had hoped, even though it was never his plan for her to hear those words that day at Akatoki, that when she had sworn revenge on him that she would become more independent, able to think and act for herself and not worry about other's permission. And yet the moment he turns his back on her, she's running off to Tsuruga Ren, probably spilling everything about Sho and all the secrets they shared as children, and depending on Tsuruga instead of learning strength for herself…and that bastard fell for her. Back in Karuizawa, Tsuruga made it fairly apparent to everyone but Kyouko (and that was only her own unobservation skills kicking into effect) that he thought of Kyouko as more than a simple kouhai to him. Yet the extent of his feelings for her was unknown to Sho. What if she spilled her heart to Tsuruga, the way she had done for Sho so many times, before she realized that crying in front of Sho freaked him out? What if Tsuruga was able to deal with her tears better than Sho ever would?

And because of that, she'd never develop her own strength. Didn't that arrogant gorge-star realize it would be better for her to learn on her own for once? No, he probably didn't think that, because he couldn't see what Kyouko could be. He didn't see the shining gem she could be if she could just learn to stand on her own without anyone's arms waiting to catch her if she fell.

What was he thinking? Now he was acting as possessive as an older brother or an ex-boyfriend, of which Sho was neither. Yeah, at one point they lived together like siblings, and yes, she loved him and he betrayed her like an ex, but he wasn't either of those. He technically wasn't even a childhood friend anymore. He was simply a foe, an enemy. And an enemy shouldn't want a foe to stand on their own two feet. He should feel glad that his rival was codependent. Even though Sho never hated Kyouko, he shouldn't want her to get too far. So why was he so concerned about her career?

Because he was so deep in these thoughts, he didn't catch himself until the words were already out of his mouth, and that irrevocable promise was already given. Sho kicked himself later for this one moment of preoccupation. But he couldn't take the words back.

The words were: "And if you ever get so worried about your career, I'll let you be in a PV again. As a leading role, if you want."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: My favorite chapter!! This was so much fun to write, and I just had to mess around with Kyouko's acting ability and Sho-chan's reaction. Anyway, thank you so much to everyone who's read, subscribed, favorited, and reviewed! Reviews help so much with writing, so keep 'em coming! Well, please enjoy...**

* * *

There have only been so many moments in Kyouko's life that she didn't know what to think or say.

And as she was making chocolates in the kitchen of Shotaro's apartment, she was forced to admit that this what had happened at dinner was one of the big ones.

She had been so shocked she hadn't been able to think at all. This was worse than when Reino cornered her in the forest in Karuizawa. Then she could feel her own paralysis and could at least form coherent thoughts. But Shotaro's words had stunned her to the point of only being able to stare, unable to react to anything. The building could have caught fire and burned to the ground, and she'd only been capable of staring at the spot Shotaro had been.

Now, though, she was capable of plenty of reaction.

Angrily stirring the mixture with a spatula, she couldn't help but think about those damn words. What did they mean anyway? That he was trying to make it up to her? That he felt guilty, not only of throwing her chocolates into oncoming traffic, but of tossing her aside like a used tissue? Or was he just trying to get closer to her so he could make his ambush before she could launch her invasion? True, as of now he towered above her in the entertainment industry, and so she couldn't even try to touch him. He couldn't feel threatened by her yet! She still had a long way to go before she was a good enough actress to even shake his existence a bit. So why the offer? Was he trying to help her out? Like unsheathing the sword that would kill you, giving her a chance to further her name, thus insuring his own end? Why? She didn't know he was suicidal. What else did he have but music? He would never return to Kyoto, no matter how much he floundered in the industry, and he would never be able to get a regular job with his recognizable face now. If she forced him out of the business, he had nowhere else to go.

Unless he ran overseas.

The spatula stopped as Kyouko contemplated that. If he ran to America, and started his career from scratch, or maybe building slightly off what he had done in Japan, then he would be as far from his parents, and their world, as possible. His inheritance and old life would never matter in America, unlike here where his old life could mean the death of a career. Didn't he say on _Bridge Rock _that if the public knew his birth name, he could no longer stay in show business? But in America, they wouldn't care about his old-fashioned name. America would suit him perfectly, and he could do whatever the hell he wanted there.

So that's what he wanted! A reason to run away to America, and cut off all ties with Japan. He might even change his name to something English. And he was going to use Kyouko, again, to that end. That damn bastard…

Not really registering the kitchen around her, Kyouko abandoned her chocolates on the counter and stalked into the living room, where Sho and Shouko-san were sitting watching TV. Not caring what the hell what they were watching, Kyouko stood in the doorway, demons exploding from her body, destruction taking sovereign around her, and said as loud and firm as she could: "I will not be manipulated by you again, Shotaro!"

**

* * *

**

**Now, let's back up a bit…**

* * *

For having his sworn enemy in his own apartment, Sho was feeling fairly bored.

The bridge for the song was done, hammered out by a few minutes on the guitar and a few notes scribbled on some handy blank sheet music (he was forever telling Shouko-san to run more copies of it and so the apartment had them scattered everywhere) with a title for identification against all the other sheets. Dinner was over, and Kyouko was pouring out her feelings for the damn Beagle into the chocolates, so he had nothing to worry about from her. Shouko-san was flipping through the channels, never pausing on any channel for more than thirty seconds before moving on. Sho absently wondered what she was looking for, but couldn't be moved to care. Of the hundreds of channels they got through satellite, she'd probably settle on some news channel about the entertainment industry, because they both had to keep on top of the entertainment world. Not that news really mattered; if you had to rely on what was broadcasted on the news to keep up with the trends, you were already a week late in this crazy business. But one couldn't be too careful either, so the face of the anchorwoman on the Oricon Official Music Charts Channel was a constant presence in Sho and Shouko-san's life.

So when Shouko-san stopped at something that was obviously not Oricon, Sho looked up in surprise. What did she pick? It took his eyes a few seconds to focus on the bright screen, but when he did he nearly snarled. There, on his own television, was Tsuruga's face, hair blowing oh-so-coolly in the wind. A smirk crossed his "perfect" features as the wind blew his hair right across his eyes, and the camera followed the wind, going past his chemically-altered hair and danced across a large moon in the background. What the hell? Sho looked to Shouko-san, expletives nearly about to roll off his tongue, when a female announcer's cold voice came on saying: "_Dark Moon_…"

Oh. What Shouko-san said in the car earlier was meant to be applied tonight. Everything about keeping an eye on Kyouko and all. _What game are you playing at, Shouko-san? _thought Sho as he slumped against the couch, already destined for sprawling across the couch. Kyouko was in the other room. Surely she'd hear the opening and the familiar dialogue and know what Sho and Shouko-san were up to. She wouldn't allow herself to sink into the cooking-trance when Sho was this close to her. Not with the way their relationship stood at the moment. She'd be on high alert, her radar picking up nefarious intentions where none existed, and so blaring the theme song to her drama was probably not a good idea.

But Sho wasn't one for complaining, and as the camera found a fairly cute blond girl, he settled into the pillows, deciding to pass the blame to Shouko-san when Kyouko came in to confront him about it.

After the title sequence, Sho watched with vague curiosity as a giant mansion he recognized from Karuizawa appeared, milling with elegantly dressed socialites and devilishly handsome extras. Apparently a ball was being held there. Sho scanned through the crowd, looking for any notable actors or actresses. He couldn't find anyone he recognized, so they must all be fairly new. A pity; some of the girls were halfway cute. The camera moved inside the mansion, where even more people chatted and laughed inside a giant hall. Modestly dressed servants moved among them, offering drinks and appetizers. A section was roped off, apparently for musicians who would appear later. A harp and piano were already in place, ready for their players to begin. The camera angle changed, and Sho twitched in irritation.

There was Tsuruga again, this time with a pretty girl on his arm. The girl had long brown-red hair that curled at the end, and her dark dress suited the rather curvy figure wonderfully. The girl laughed, and Tsuruga joined in as well, though the laughter was muted, only instrumentals in the background. Sho narrowed his eyes in annoyance; there was no reason that any normal tuxedo would cling to a man's body like that, unless it had been tailored so. Damn cunning Costume Department.

With a bit of relief on Sho's part, the camera moved past the couple to focus on a woman behind the couple, watching them closely. She was older, in her late forties, early fifties, probably mother or aunt to Tsuruga's character or the girl's. Her outfit was more conservative than the younger girls', as dignifying her age, and her hair was piled on her head in a bun. With a scowl that seemed permanently etched on her face, she exited the bright room and walked through a series of dark, lonely hallways. The gloom of the hallways contrasted the lighthearted room she had just left brilliantly, displaying that the woman was comfortable in both. Eventually she came to a giant oak door, no different than the many others in the corridor, and she turned the handle to enter.

Inside was the blond girl from the beginning sequence, standing in front of a mirror, allowing servants to apply makeup on her skin. She looked into the mirror with apprehension, as if she was already thinking about the reactions she would face when people saw her in the green dress she was wearing. _Nice choice, Costume Department. You've redeemed yourself a bit, _thought Sho as he appreciated the way the dress showed off the actress's finer points, clinging to her tight waist and revealing shapely legs. The color brought out her eyes, but her eyes weren't the only thing that drew Sho's eyes upward from her calves.

"How is it out there?" asked the blond nervously as she noticed the older woman's appearance.

"Crowded. Busy. Chaos. A success, in other words," said the older woman in a dismissing tone. "When are you coming out, Mizuki? Mio and Misao have already made their appearances tonight."

"As soon as the makeup is done," said the girl, Mizuki, her eyes returning to the mirror.

The older woman sighed in impatience and watched as the servants put sheer, glossy makeup on Mizuki. Using movie magic to make the process much shorter than what it really was, in a mere minute Mizuki was standing before the woman, watching for approval.

The woman looked over Mizuki, a critical eyebrow raised, mouth set in a firm line. After a nervous minute, where the audience, had they been tuned in to Mizuki's emotions, would have sweated right along with her, but Sho merely yawned in boredom, the woman stepped aside and gestured for Mizuki to exit the room. The girl breathed a sigh of relief and with a fresh smile followed the woman through the dark hallways back to the ballroom.

Immediately after entering the ballroom, the woman disappeared from Mizuki's side, signaling the musicians to begin their ballad. Mizuki, disoriented by the woman's sudden absence, swallowed nervously and moved through the crowds to the edge of the dance floor, where couples were already swaying to the music. Mizuki smiled and watched as the tempo increased and the couples began to waltz.

Across the floor stood Tsuruga and the pretty brunette, engrossed in conversation with another couple. The brunette said something and all four laughed. As Mizuki watched them, she worried her bottom lip. Even though Sho knew next to nothing about the plot of _Dark Moon_, he could tell that Mizuki liked Tsuruga's character. Her smile disappeared entirely when Tsuruga leaned down to whisper something teasing in the brunette's ear.

"They make such a lovely couple, don't they?" said a low, but still undeniably feminine, voice.

Mizuki jumped, and as she turned around to see who said that, Sho jumped a bit as well. There was Kyouko, somehow combining her passionate hatred with all the manners of a born-and-bred lady, her short hair emphasizing her scar. The crowd seemed to part around her, leaving her in a little bubble with Mizuki. Sho, who knew a little of theatre, knew the extras weren't entirely acting, but honestly reacting to Kyouko's terrifying aura. He could practically see the little grudges popping up around her.

Mizuki, who Sho finally recognized as the girl from Karuizawa who got a six and a nine confused when she was trying to dial her director, recovered a bit and laughed a bit nervously.

"Mio!" she exclaimed, trying to act happy to see her but failing, "You scared me! You shouldn't creep up like that to people!"

Sho, who had been preoccupied by Kyouko's scare factor, started taking in other factors. She was wearing black, absolute black. Somehow the same color that would look seductive and mysterious on other women looked intimidating on Kyouko, bringing out that scar even more, and Sho couldn't help but wonder what the back story was on that scar. Kyouko's makeup was done differently than everyone else's on set. Everyone, especially the girls, had light, natural-looking makeup that highlighted their natural features, particularly the eyes and lips. Very few women had dark eyeliner on, and then it was very thin. But Kyouko (or should Sho call her Mio?) had dark, heavy eye makeup, with a very deep lip shade. Her cheeks looked bare, like she hadn't bothered with foundation. The dress did nothing to flatter Kyouko's slim waist or slender figure, even thinner than Mizuki, who at least had a bit of curve, but instead seemed to simply exist on Kyouko's body. It did nothing for or against Kyouko, but the message was still there: _Don't worry about my clothing, dear companions. Focus on __**me**__, my words and actions_.

_So this is Mio, huh? _thought Sho. _Somehow, it fits you, Kyouko. Like an old outfit you haven't worn in forever that you thought didn't fit anymore. Yet you put it on again, and it still fits like a glove._

Mio cocked her head, looking Mizuki up and down critically, just like the older woman had done a few minutes ago, but sarcastically.

"You look beautiful, Mizuki," she said quietly, and though her eyes were anything but honest, somehow Sho felt the truth behind those words. She honestly believed Mizuki to be beautiful.

"Th-thank you, Mio," stuttered Mizuki, obviously having not expected a compliment, "So do you. The dress suits you."

Mio laughed at that, a twisted sound that could only be derived from a sick and sarcastic sense of humor.

"Liars burn. Remember that, Mizuki," Mio said, a glint of irony in her eyes.

Mizuki flushed. "N-no, You really d-do look nice tonight, Mio. Just in a stand-out way."

"You mean irreverent," corrected Mio, "My attire doesn't match that of an heiress. Really, you do look the part of a daughter of the Hongo family more than I do."

Mizuki, already pink, blushed to a full-out red, as if Mio's compliment was actually an insult or an embarrassment. Mio fell silent, prolonging the awkward moment even further, making even Sho feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Tonight's lovely, isn't it?" said Mizuki, trying to salvage the conversation somehow, "Your mother loves these parties, doesn't she?"

"You know she doesn't enjoy them in the least, Mizuki. She's just trying to find husbands for Misao and myself. And you, of course, if you should find one here tonight." Mio broke off here, her unblinking gaze moving past Mizuki to something behind her, "Speaking of marriages, I believe one is playing out right before our eyes."

Mizuki turned around and her eyes widened in pain as she saw Tsuruga and the brunette on the dance floor, spinning in perfect time to the music. They both seemed to be enjoying themselves fully, the brunette even laughing as Tsuruga dipped her back. The camera zoomed in on Mizuki's face so the viewer could get a full appreciation for the depth of the pain that Mizuki experienced just seeing those two dancing together so happily.

"It's a pity, Mizuki," said a cold voice, and Mizuki jumped as she realized just how close Mio was behind her, so close it was a near embrace. A pale hand descended on her shoulder, pinning Mizuki in place, "You really are beautiful tonight. But it seems Katsuki has eyes only for Misao."

A tear came down Mizuki's face, though she wiped it away quick enough.

"Why do you do this, Mio?" asked Mizuki in a quiet voice, "Why do you like seeing me like this?" Mizuki's voice broke.

"Oh?" asked Mio, "I'm not doing anything to cause you pain, Mizuki. I did nothing to get my sister and our teacher together. Is it so wrong to enjoy seeing my older sister with the love of her life? Should I be trying to tear them apart, instead? Is that what you want me to do, Mizuki?"

Mizuki's eyes widened, and though she was hanging off every word Mio uttered in her ear, her eyes followed Katsuki and Misao's every movement. She swallowed as Mio's other hand came up to rest on Mizuki's arm.

"W-why would you d-do such a thing, Mio?" asked Mizuki, now thoroughly uncomfortable with Mio's proximity, "You sh-should be happy for M-Misao."

Mio cocked her head again, nearly resting it against Mizuki's collarbone, taking a moment before answering.

"I should be glad for them, shouldn't I?" Mio said, smiling cat-like. "But you know," she raised her head to whisper in Mizuki's ear, "all I want is to see the Hongo family collapse." She paused as she allowed those words to sink into Mizuki's mind, the full weight of what she was saying settling itself. "And if my older sister, Misao's, happiness is in the way of that, then I will burn that happiness alive. If that happiness is love, then I will tear her and her lover apart. If that should occur, Mizuki," the girl straightened against Mio, somehow getting the two girls closer than they already were, "you know what you could do then, right? You could have Katsuki-sensei all to yourself, with only a heartbroken Misao in the far, far distance. You know my parents don't care for you, and don't consider you part of the Hongo family. I wouldn't stop you from taking Katsuki for yourself. The only thing left is you. Is it so wrong to steal your own bit of bliss out of the ruins of someone else's misery?"

Mizuki watched the cheery couple as the song ended and they stood, waiting with the other couples, as the musicians paused between songs. She was shaking a bit underneath Mio's tremendous weight, for even though Mio had only one hand on her shoulder and the other on her arm, it seemed like she had added a thousand boulders to hang over Mizuki's head.

"Y-you've always hated m-me, Mio," said Mizuki slowly, trying to reason through and find a flaw in Mio's argument, trying to escape the persuasiveness of her words, the images of Katsuki, her Katsuki, too sweet to abandon, "Why would you d-do this for me n-now?"

Mio snickered at that, and took a small, half-step back, giving Mizuki a little space, though she didn't remove her hands. She didn't speak for a long time, and Mizuki thought Mio would never answer that question. Mizuki returned to watching Misao and Katsuki, the most beautiful couple on the floor, even in the entire hall, dancing to a slow love ballad, and thought what it would feel like to be in Katsuki's arms, to feel his strength surround her and move to the gorgeous music with him. A sudden burst of jealousy ran through Mizuki, and she wanted to tear herself from Mio's grasp and wrench those two apart, and replace herself in Katsuki's arms. She was nearly shaking for want of it. Why was Mio holding her back? It was true, Mio always hated her. Ever since they were children and Mizuki first came to live with her cousins, Mio hated her for no real reason, it seemed. Was this another way to bully Mizuki, then? Dangle in front of her the thing she wanted the most, what she had been denied every day since her parents died, make her pant and yearn for it, the love she wanted to drown in, and then watch Mizuki as she fell back, unable to gain that love?

"I wonder," said Mio, so quiet Mizuki had to strain to hear it, "if you can lower yourself. I wonder if you can go so low as to steal a woman's lover from her and not care about her feelings, only your own. I want to see if you can do it. I want to see your decision; Misao's happiness, or yours. That's why."

And with that, Mio finally moved away from Mizuki, stepping back three steps, putting clear distance in between them. She effectively ended the conversation, and, with a final smirk, nodded to the couples on the dance floor.

"Well? What will that honey-sweet decision be, Mizuki? Dear cousin, I always hated you. Can you walk away from me tonight?" Mio smirked at Mizuki, and her eyes seemed to search the very soul.

"I will not be manipulated by you again, Shotaro!" came Kyouko's impassioned voice.

He screamed as he fell off the couch, trying desperately go get away from her.

Nearby, he heard Shouko-san scream as well, though she caught herself before it became too loud.

On the floor, Sho's breath came faster as he stared at her face, her face put in stark relief by the dancing light of the television. She stared at him, using those same eyes she used to search Mizuki to search him. Before, he wanted only to get away from her, to get away from that voice and those words, but now he felt trapped underneath her. She filled the room with her presence, and Sho knew he was every bit the boy he had been all those years ago, unable to stand to her tears and sorrow. Now, he couldn't stand to her anger and hatred.

"M-M-Mio?" stammered Shouko-san.

Kyouko raised an eyebrow, and, as her alternate ego Mio was confronted with Mizuki's question "Will you be my ally?", Kyouko answered, in perfect unison with herself: "I'll be anything you want."

The words stayed in the air, echoing themselves and refusing to dissipate, staying as a constant presence, the only thing still moving in the silence of the moment. Sho knew he would be shaking if his body could react to him now. Next to her conviction and fury, Sho was as big as an insect compared to a monolith. The moment seemed to swallow up an eternity or two in its mammoth jaws, and yet, as he stared back into those gold eyes, no time had passed at all. They were still children together, in Kyoto, being trained together to take over the Fuwa family business. One day they would marry. They had never grown up or moved to Tokyo. He never became a star or took up the guitar, and she never vowed revenge on him. She never knew acting, and never met any of the people she knew now. Vie Ghoul didn't exist, Mio didn't exist, nothing existed. Nothing but those two, Kyouko and Shotaro, bound together for as long as they could remember, for as long as time itself could remember.

"I…am not…manipulating…you…Kyouko," he said slowly, painfully, haltingly. It was vital she knew this, that she understood that he couldn't do anything to harm her now. He couldn't say anything else but those words, "Not…anymore."

Kyouko, knowing he couldn't lie to her in this state, nodded in understanding. She continued eye contact for a moment longer, and something wordless was communicated in that gulf of time, before she turned on her heel and walked back to the kitchen, leaving an out-of-breath and shaking Shouko-san, and a paralyzed Shotaro in the living room, the television still on, though neither heard any of the words.

For a second more they stayed like that, Shouko-san still gripping the arms of her chair, while Sho struggled to catch a breath from his disobedient chest. When he finally made contact again between neuron and muscle, his lungs filled with sweet air, and he still smelled her in the air around him. With Herculean effort, he got to his feet and sat back down on the couch, his eyes going to the screen as he watched from across an abyss as Katsuki and Mizuki met on a terrace, and exchanged words of undying love.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: All right, so I told a few of you readers that Sunday I would update the last chapter and epilogue of Chocolates. Sorry, but I decided that the last chapter's length was ungodly and no one should be forced to sit through it, and that I should split it into two updates. So I went through and edited it so it split nicely into two chapters, this being the first half of the original last chapter. Tomorrow I'll update the last chapter + epilogue, as well. I'm sorry for the mess, but I really do think it's better this way. :) Enjoy.**

Later on in the evening, when both Sho and Shouko had recovered from seeing Mio grow out of nowhere in their living room, the television was finally turned off. The two of them had watched the rest of the ball episode, and the episode after that, continuing off the plotline and fleshing out the world of _Dark Moon _a little more. Sho had returned to his star persona, cool and controlled, though he was still shaking a bit internally. Looking at the clock, he saw it was nearly midnight, and he had to be at the studio at nine the next morning. Shouko still had to drive Kyouko home, and Sho was determined to ride along with them, so he could find out where she lived now. He walked into the kitchen, ready to tell Kyouko to pack it up and how long did it take to make chocolate anyway, when he saw that she had fallen asleep at the counter, sitting on a bar stool.

_She actually relaxed enough to fall asleep?_ thought Sho as he paused in the entryway, unsure how to approach this. Quietly, so as not to disturb her, he walked over to the refrigerator, opening the door to look at the chocolates. They were lumpy and hastily thrown together, the flour not even stirred in all the way. Kyouko had obviously not cared enough to make the chocolates correctly. Smirking in victory, he didn't even try to guess if they should remain in the refrigerator all night or be taken out. If she was so indifferent in her cooking, then Sho wasn't going to care either. Which left only one problem: Kyouko herself.

Shutting the door, he turned and leaned against the refrigerator, watching her sleep a bit. Her head was resting on folded arms, back hunched over the counter, legs relaxed against the wooden cabinets. She looked peaceful, serene even, like an angel whose harp-playing has tired her, and has fallen asleep on a cloud. A smile tugged on his lips, and he indulged himself in the luxury of a tiny smile, not a smirk or grin, not one of triumph or elation, but from the simple pleasure of seeing her face smile a bit as well, as if she was answering his own smile from her dreams.

Crossing over to where she slept, he wrapped his arms around her, one around her torso, the other underneath her knees. Testing her weight, he lifted her off the stool, cradling her to his chest. She stirred in her sleep, and her smile changed to a bit of a frown. He murmured nonsense words in her ear, words from a story she used to love so long ago, as he carried her out of the kitchen and through the midnight hallways of Shouko-san's apartment to the guest room that had been converted to his room when he began living with Shouko-san. Opening the door, he picked his way across the messy room to the bed where his spare guitar rested. Shifting around her weight, he picked up the guitar and spare sheet music that was omnipresent in the apartment, and tossed them lightly aside. Holding her close, careful to jostle her as little as possible, he bent over, slipping her in among the covers. He straightened, leaving her in the bed alone, only the tips of his fingers still touching her.

Her hand, which had laid limply against his chest when he picked her up, tightened into a little fist. He froze, wondering if she had woken up and was about to give him hell before slamming the door in his face. But her hand relaxed again and moved up, skimming across his upper chest, up the side of his neck, and came to a rest on his cheek. He leaned into her hand, her thumb caressing his skin.

Looking at her face, he could tell from her relaxed features she was still asleep, and so probably didn't even know it was him, yet it felt nice to feel a remnant of her affection against his skin, even if she was sleeping. His fingers tightened around her once more, before he let go of her completely, using one hand to take her hand from his face and laid it against her chest. She said something incomprehensible in her sleep and turned over, angling her body away from him.

He realized he was smiling slightly, and wiped it off his face. He turned his back to her, and walked precariously across the room again to the door. He refused to turn around and get one last look at her resting form before he shut the door behind him.

"Sho?" asked Shouko-san, already dressed in the robe she slept in, came out of the door across the hall from him, her tone inquiring.

"Kyouko fell asleep in the kitchen," he answered, shrugging indifferently, "And I didn't want to be the one to wake her up."

"But…" said Shouko-san, trying to reason her way through the sleep-haze, "You put her in your bed?"

"Yeah," he said apathetically, moving away from the door to shuffle to the end of the hall, "I figure she can stay the night, at least." He didn't turn to see Shouko-san's Cheshire grin. He knew she was trying to patch up Kyouko and Sho's relationship, trying to play matchmaker and get the two together again. He had seen the face Shouko-san had worn tonight a thousand times over, on his parents mostly, but also on the priest that ran the local Shinto shrine. It was the face that was trying to play God with other's lives, trying to make all the puppets dance at once. He had grown to hate that face, and so seeing it again was not welcome.

"Of course she can stay the night," said Shouko-san, who had kept the matchmaker tone out of her voice, "But where will you sleep?"

"The couch," he said over his shoulder, his feet still moving away from her, "Goodnight, Shouko-san."

"Goodnight, Sho," she answered as she watched his retreating back. When he reached the living room and turned, she moved away from the doorframe and closed the door behind her, moving to her bed.

_An interesting day, _she thought as she climbed into bed, _A very interesting day indeed._

Sho, back on the same couch he had been lounging across for most of the evening, the fabric still warm from his body heat, he thought about the past, and the future.

_What if I never left Kyoto? _he wondered as he waited for sleep to come, _What if Kyouko and I had stayed at my parent's house? We'd probably be engaged by now, an omiai to bring fortune to the Fuwa family. She would have made a great okami-san, _he smiled as he thought of Kyouko serving guests for the rest of her life, that smile still on her face_, But I never could have been her taisho-san. I was never meant to run that inn and be by her side like that._

_But, _he continued as he felt sleep coming, _what man could stand by her side?_

_

* * *

_

There was a thunderstorm tonight.

And whenever there were thunderstorms, Kyouko would bury herself in the blankets, the pillow over her head, trying to block out the sound. She would whimper whenever the thunder shook the house, tears streaming down her face. Thunderstorms were the worst of all. The unpredictable lightning that could eradicate anything, the terrifying thunder that always accompanied the lightning, the rain that was supposed to wash it all away, away from here, away from her, and yet it never did get rid of the fear. All of nature seemed to conspire together to reduce her to a shaking pile on the floor. But always, _always_, whenever a major thunderstorm hit the Kyoto area, he'd appear.

Shotaro, awoken by both the storm and Kyouko's cries, would get up from his own bed and stumble to Kyouko's room. Always, without fail, he'd come for her when she needed him most. That was one of the many reasons why he was her prince. When she was curled up in a ball on the floor of her room, he would come in and soothe her, telling her to move over and let him have some of the blankets as well. His presence alone was enough to give her strength through the long, terror-filled nights of childhood thunderstorms. Her Sho, Sho-chan, would usually fall asleep soon after coming in, but he'd allow her to hold his hand through the night, and they would wake up like that, in those dewy after-mornings, in the same bed.

Kyouko could feel him now, just out of reach of her fingertips. She could feel the blankets covering her, and the fear of thunderstorms far away from her. She could smell him on her sheets and in her hair. And as his presence so near to her overwhelmed her until there was nothing else, a single thought was the only thing that was in her mind. _He's here, he's here, he's here, where is he?_

She frowned as she felt around for him, her mind still foggy from dreams. He was here, she knew he was, he was somewhere nearby, maybe out of reach now, but that could change. Where was Sho-chan? He had to be here, he had to be, he had to, yet he wasn't. Had he already gotten up? Did his parents come in and wake him? Had they seen the two of them like this, in the same bed? How embarrassing; Kyouko would have to explain later. But now that didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was Sho-chan. Where was he? She couldn't be sleeping in an empty bed. He only came to her during thunderstorms, and so she only felt his presence this close to her when she woke up. _Where was he?_

Kyouko's eyes snapped open, and with her sight came back awareness. The last two years flooded her senses, and she remembered. She remembered that now Sho had betrayed her, her Sho-chan gone forever, sacrificed to stardom, and she was in his apartment merely to make blackmailed chocolates to give to her stalker, and she was never to give Sho chocolates again. She _remembered _now.

So what the hell was his scent doing so close to her?!?!

With a yelp, Kyouko leapt from the bed, hands shoving the covers aside. She stumbled backwards, trying to put frantic distance between her and that bed that smelled like Sho. How did she get there? Did she fall asleep waiting for the chocolates to be done? _Stupid Kyouko, _she thought as she regained a bit of control, _stupid, stupid, stupid…how could you do something so reckless? You fell asleep in the enemy's lair!_

_But…does that mean Sho carried me here?_

"Kyouko-chan?" asked Shouko-san, wearing a light robe and leaning against the doorframe, her hair held back by pins and her hand covering a yawn. Kyouko felt a brief spurt of regret; she had probably woken Shouko-san.

"Ah, Shouko-san!" exclaimed Kyouko, her face immediately shifting from disgusted shock to politely concerned. "Good morning. Did I wake you?"

"Morning, Kyouko-chan," replied Shouko-san, "No, you didn't wake me up. I just haven't had my coffee yet. What are you doing?"

"Ah. Well," said Kyouko, "I was kind of…startled when I woke up. Sorry for sleeping in."

"It's fine, it's fine," said Shouko-san, suppressing a smile, "But it's only six-thirty now. Do you have anywhere to be?"

"Soon enough," said Kyouko, still eyeing the bed, "Can I bother you for a ride home?"

"Sure, sure," said Shouko-san as she moved away from the door, "That was the plan all along. In fact, I could run you over now."

"Thank you!" said Kyouko as her attention was finally diverted from the bed that reeked of everything despicable, "I have to just switch the chocolates from the pan to the box and I'll be ready!"

"Can you do that now?" asked Shouko-san as she moved away from the door.

"Sure," said Kyouko as she smoothed her crumpled clothes down, having worn them unwittingly to sleep. She picked her way over and around the various debris on Shotaro's floor, and then made her way to the kitchen. Opening the door to the refrigerator and taking out the chocolates, Kyouko realized they had been in the cold for too long, and had solidified. Kyouko froze over them, unsure whether she should give them to Reino or not.

On one hand, these were definitely not of the best quality to give to get back her doppelganger. And the price of that poor baby being tortured by Reino's affections was hideous. But on the other hand, she had no time to make more chocolates, they couldn't be store-bought, and this presentation would, technically, accurately represent her feelings for him. _Not worth it to even make them properly, _thought Kyouko as she rummaged around in the kitchen, looking for a knife or something to break off chunks of the chocolate-mass that was in the pan.

Succeeding in finding a large enough knife, Kyouko used all her strength to drive the tip of the blade into the mass and twisting it, breaking off a large enough piece to give to Reino. She found a plastic bag and dropped it the pieces in that. In fifteen minutes, she had enough to qualify as a Valentine's gift.

"You with a large knife…scary image," said Sho's voice from behind her.

She turned her head, finding him leaning against the counter, the trademark smirk on his lips, incidentally in the same spot she had been when he found her asleep the night before, but Kyouko didn't make the connection.

"Good morning," she said frostily as she turned around, wondering what to do with the rest of the hardened chocolate.

"You could just throw it out, you know," he said, the smirk deepening slightly.

Kyouko shrugged and did as he said, using her bare hands to separate chocolate from pan, throwing the pieces aside in a pile. He watched as she struggled over a more stubborn section, eventually triumphing over it and adding it to the pile. In mere minutes the entire pan was stripped of its sugary mess and sitting on the counter. Kyouko brushed the leftover pieces into the palm of her hand and tossed them away. Taking the plastic bag of the chocolate she was going to give to Reino in one hand, she turned on her heel to lean against the counter, opposite Sho.

They stared at each other, the tension slowly building in the air around them. His face was blank, giving no indicators as to what he was thinking. He looked just as bored and nonchalant as he did nearly every moment of every day, like this was no different. Her face, on the other hand, was descending from ticked to murderous at surprising speed. Her grudges, anxious to receive back their comrade who was trapped at the Beagle's side, were gathering in greater and greater numbers around her. Sho began to wonder if there was an end to them, or if they just simply appeared at Kyouko's whim, a limitless number that could go on forever. Nonetheless, he used the few acting skills he had picked up on to keep his face as expressionless as possible. He couldn't let her see any signs of weakness that those demons could pounce on.

"Sorry for the wait!" said Shouko-san as she walked in, having changed out of her robe and into regular clothes, "I tried to be as quick as possible. Are you two ready to go?"

"Yes, Shouko-san," said Kyouko, breaking eye contact with Sho, "Thanks again for going out of your way to drive me back."

"No problem, Kyouko-chan," Shouko smiled at the girl as the tension in the air dissipated, and the two childhood friends followed Shouko to the car. They slipped into the same seats as the night before; Shouko driving, Kyouko behind her and Sho in the backseat next to Kyouko.

The drive was quiet, but then again Shouko expected that. Tokyo traffic was congested in the early morning, and so ever-so-slowly they crept towards the Darumaya, Kyouko directing Shouko there. Sho seemed uninterested in the sights they passed, even though the neighborhoods they were passing through were less wealthy than the one he and Kyouko used to live in when they first came to Tokyo together. The buildings crept closer to each other, until the streets became one-way and Shouko's car was the only vehicle in sight.

Eventually, the familiar restaurant front came into view, and Kyouko told Shouko-san to stop. Smiling at Shouko-san and ignoring Sho, Kyouko thanked her one last time for driving her home and allowing Kyouko to use her kitchen, which Shouko-san responded to with the usual courtesy.

Kyouko slid out of the car, waving goodbye to Shouko-san, (still ignoring Sho) when movement caught out of the corner of her eye. She turned to it, and her mouth dropped open as she recognized Reino, dressed in normal visual-kei extravagance, leaning against the wall of the Darumaya.

"Hey, Kyouko," he said, smirking in a way that must have been copied off of one of Shotaro's interviews.

Kyouko said nothing, just glaring at him for a few minutes before walking over, neither hurried nor cautiously. When she drew level with him, she thrust the bag of chocolates into his hand, her other hand tearing through the air to his open jacket, where her grudge demon struggled against his inside pocket. As she drew it out, her hands still moving quickly to avoid touching his skin, she ripped the prayer beads that bound her doppelganger and threw them on the ground. The string holding the beads together broke, and a few dozen white beads clattered against the ground, scattering in the road.

"You poor orphan!" Kyouko exclaimed, her attention already turned away from Reino, determined to ignore him as she had ignored Sho. "What did he do you?" A few squealing sounds came from the demon, none of which was intelligible, though somehow Kyouko interpreted it, "He put a barrier around the house? You couldn't get out? He forced you to tell him where the Darumaya is? Oh, don't cry, honey," she walked away from Reino, opening the door to the Darumaya, and a few demons came out of her, comforting their comrade and threatening Reino, "He'll pay for what he's done to you, don't worry about that. Mommy will take care of it."

She closed the door behind her, leaving Reino alone in the alley with the silver car Kyouko had come out of, a broken string of prayer beads, and a bag of horrible chocolate. He stared at the door for a few moments, conscious of the loitering car, before he opened the bag and took out one of the chocolates. Marveling for a moment at the intense hatred and aggravation that radiated from the chocolate, he brought it to his mouth, barely touching it to his lips before he spat it out. It tasted like...Fuwa Sho. Kyouko had made the chocolates, not thinking about Reino, but about Fuwa the entire time she was making the chocolates! The entire bag stunk of Fuwa, and of her feelings for him.

"She really hates me, huh?" he remarked to no one, though he expected an answer from whoever was in the car. _Probably Tsuruga, _he reflected, _She does seem to have a habit of running to him. Damn, and here I thought she might have listened to me when I said it was annoying to Tsuruga._

"I wouldn't count on it," said an amused voice, and Reino stood in shock as the backseat window was rolled down halfway, to reveal Fuwa Sho's smirking mug. "I really, really wouldn't count on it." Reino stared in near-openmouthed disbelief as the car pulled away and he saw Fuwa bring his legs up on the seat to lounge across the backseat of the car.

_Damn! _he thought as the car turned a corner and went out of sight, _I've lost this round, haven't I? No worries, though. After all, there's always White Day._


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Last chapter! Plus the epilogue. Thank you to everyone who's hung with me to this crazy end, you guys are awesome. :) The next _Skip Beat!_ chapter, chapter 143, comes out July 18th in Japan, so let's just see how desperately wrong I am compared to the canon, huh? My new _Skip Beat!_ story, "Aka-chan", is published simultaneously with this last chapter, so I ask you to read that as well. Well, thanks once again! Please, enjoy. :)**

**This chapter is dedicated to Loverly Light, despite its lack of ShoxKyouko hints. Happy Birthday, Loverly. :D**

Tsuruga Ren was not expecting chocolates today.

No, that was a lie. He was expecting chocolates. He was expecting a truckload of chocolates to be delivered to him today, having to thank each girl and trusting Yashiro-san to note their face, name and occupation so he could give them an appropriate gift for White Day. He was expecting it, had gotten used to it. He just wasn't expecting chocolates from the girl he loved.

And so when he saw her from across the Dark Moon set, and saw she had no bag full of chocolate, he smiled anyway. She was cute, and she seemed fairly happy. She laughed and smiled and said "Good morning" to each stage hand and actor that was on set.

"Good morning, Mogami-san," he said when she came close enough for conversation.

"Good morning, Tsuruga-san!" she replied, putting on a lying smile for him.

_Something's wrong, _he thought as he put his own fake smile on in response to the one on her face, _Does it have anything to do with Valentine's? _

"How was the quiz last night for _Box "R"_?" he asked, trying to sniff out the cause of her fake smile, "Did you do well?"

"Yes, better than I thought I would," she said sheepishly, embarrassed to getting the majority of the questions wrong, "Still, I could have done a lot better."

"Something to work for next time," he said kindly, "By the way, I tried calling you last night, but there was no answer on your cell."

"Ah!" she said, eyes widening. To anyone else, it would look like a normal reaction. To Ren, who was, after all, an actor, there was a trademark glint in her eye that revealed she was acting, "I'm sorry, I turned it off during the quiz show and forgot to turn it back on! I'm so sorry, Tsuruga-san!" She bowed low, a gesture he would have expected from Mogami-san, but the action also cleverly hid her face.

_She's lying, _he realized. Now it was _on._ There was no way he would leave _Dark Moon_ set today not knowing her reasons. He was determined to find out the reason for her fake smile and her lies. He had a feeling they were the same cause.

"Ah!" she said again, and this time it was an honest reaction, not acting, "I also forgot Tsuruga-san's birthday present! It's still back at the Darumaya!" Her eyes unfocused as she thought of the logistics of returning to the restaurant, fetching the present, and getting back to _Dark Moon _set before she had to go in for makeup. "I have enough time before Mio's scar is supposed to be applied, I'll go back and get it quickly!"

"You really don't have to," he said hopelessly, knowing she would run off despite his words, but wanting her to stay, even if he couldn't figure out her secret, "It's not that big of a deal."

"No, no, no. I'll go back and get it," she smiled one more time, "I'm too grateful not to!"

With that, she left at a near run, unwavering in her goal to get there and back as soon as humanly possible. He sighed in an odd mix of exasperation and amusement as he watched her dodge and apologize her way across the set to the doors.

_What's your little secret, Mogami-san? _he asked silently as he finally turned his attention away from her to the set. _Does it have anything to do with Valentine's? Is she regretting not giving someone Valentine's Day chocolates? No, no, that's wishful thinking. Don't think that she would regret not giving you chocolate, Tsuruga. _To rid himself of this train of thought, he went back to the original topic. _Well, what normally is involved whenever she tries to keep something from me? _Fuwa's face immediately sprang to mind as the events of Karuizawa recalled themselves. _And there was that chocolate with "Hate" on it…Did she give chocolate to Fuwa? What the hell would that be about? Doesn't she hate him? Did he blackmail her with something from the past? What the hell is going on here? Mogami-san…_

"Sho!" came Mogami-san's startled voice from across the set. Ren's head snapped in that direction. He could see two silhouettes in the light; Mogami-san's and Fuwa's, presumably. Fuwa was holding a plastic bag.

_Well, speak of the devil…_

The entire crew, the director, and the actors who were on set were all watching the two, whispers flying through the air. Ren had heard rumors around the extras and crew that Fuwa and Mogami-san were dating, the evidence being his visit to _Dark Moon _set, and Mogami-san never gave a sufficient reason for his visit, and at Karuizawa when, apparently, they had breakfast together and he hung around set while she was in makeup. Ren had never asked Mogami-san about this, because her reaction to Fuwa and their relationship tended to put a strain on Ren's relationship with Kyouko, but he was confirmed that these things had happened by Momose-san. Momose-san had said, albeit nervously, that Fuwa had hung around set that first day Ren wasn't there, and that Mogami-san had also denied any dating between the two. Ren judged another wave of rumors in response to this second unexpected visit on _Dark Moon _set. Yet at that moment, he didn't really care.

Because Fuwa's presence now confirmed that he had something to do with Mogami-san's attitude today.

Before he even registered his actions, he was crossing the set, the only one who was moving. Everyone else had frozen as they watched, and the couple they were watching were staring each other down. He used his long stride to arrive as quickly as possible, while still looking graceful and unrushed, but they were on the opposite side of the room. He heard Yashiro-san follow him, and he knew Yashiro was feeling a strange combination of foreboding and excitement at seeing the development of this situation.

"You forgot this," said Fuwa as he held up the plastic bag, and, damn it all, Ren was still too far away.

Mogami-san barely looked at the bag, but seemed to know what was in it. As he grew closer, Ren could make out a large rectangular-ish shape straining at the plastic. What was it?

"I don't want it. Keep it," she said coldly, all traces of the cheerful attitude she had before gone.

"What can I do with it?" he asked, holding the bag out closer to her, "You're the chef here."

"I don't have a use for it," she said as she pushed the bag away. Ren was surprised at the casual way their hands brushed. Neither of them seemed to notice the close contact, and she continued on, "You can give it away, donate it, wrap it up as a white elephant gift. I don't care. It's yours."

"I really can't think how to use this thing," Fuwa said, "And I know you probably know a thousand uses for it. Take it."

"Sho!" yelled a rather busty woman with long hair as she ran towards him, looking annoyed "Don't just run off like that! You could have told me you were leaving!"

"I did," he said simply, not taking his eyes off Mogami-san.

"I thought you meant later, after we were done at the studio! We're still paying for that time, you know! How did you get here so fast, anyway?"

"I walked. It's right around the corner."

"And a few blocks! You have to tell me when you run off like that! First Karuizawa, and now…what do you expect me to do?"

"Wait. You knew I was going. You could have just waited."

"Will you stop arguing and do what she says!" exclaimed Mogami-san as Ren finally grew level with them, "Shouko-san's supposed to look after you! It's not easy being a manager! Besides, it looks like you're wasting your money and my time. I don't want the thing, you can do whatever you want with it."

"Thing?" asked Yashiro, a little out of breath from trying to keep up with Ren, "What thing?" He gave a nod to the woman, Shouko-san, which she returned. Somehow they had recognized each other as mutual colleagues, managers of big stars.

"The pan Kyouko-chan used to make okonomiyaki last night," explained Shouko-san, "She left it and we wanted to give it back to her."

"You bought it, after all," Fuwa reminded her, an eyebrow quirking.

"With your money," Mogami-san fired back.

"That I gave you," he countered.

"That I never wanted," she said contemptuously.

"That you took anyway."

"Because I knew you wouldn't let it go until I did!" she exclaimed.

"It's yours, then," he said, recognizing a victory, "Take it."

_Not good, _thought Ren, _She's slipping away from me...how to bring her back?_

"Last night?" said Yashiro, finding the first pause in the verbal struggle between the two, "What were you doing last night?"

"Sho destroyed Kyouko-chan's chocolates," explained Shouko-san patiently, "And so to make it up to her, he gave her money to make more chocolates and the kitchen to make them in. Because of the late hour, Kyouko-chan also agreed to make us dinner. It was delicious." Shouko-san's eyes grew distant as she remembered the okonomiyaki.

Mogami-san, though her eyes never left Fuwa, flinched at Shouko-san's explanation, and it was that small movement that clicked everything into place in Ren's mind. The reason for her fake smile was that she didn't want him to find out what she had done last night. The reason for her less-than-cheerful attitude was that she was still coming off her time with Fuwa.

But something still wasn't right. Before he even realized what was missing from this story, his mouth was already speaking the question that asked.

"Chocolates?" he said innocently, using his acting skills to cover up the anger that was building up again, "Who for?"

All three of them straightened uncomfortably.

_Well, damn…_

"Mogami-san?" he called, slipping a bit of ice into his voice. She seemed paralyzed.

"Reino!" she blurted out, "Reino blackmailed me into making chocolates for him! Don't blame me for this, Tsuruga-san! I didn't mean to stay the night! Honestly!"

She seemed to realize she had just divulged that she had slept over at Fuwa's, and her gaze finally left Fuwa to look nervously at Ren, fearing his reaction.

And for good reason.

The anger that had simmered before, building slowly but still manageable, burst from every cell of his body. He was _furious_. How did that happen? How did she allow herself to stay the night at Fuwa's place? Did she consider it no big deal to spend the night at a guy's place, even if nothing scandalous happened? Was that why she was so comfortable in Ren's apartment? Was Ren on the same level as Fuwa in this, the one thing he thought he was better than him? How did she allow this to _happen_?

Yashiro whistled low, impressed. He wasn't a fool; he knew how difficult it was to get two people who seemed to want nothing to do with each other in that situation. Yes, it took luck, but there was also a bit of skill, _finesse_ if you will, involved to smooth everything over so it wasn't quite so awkward.

Though he should have been paying attention to Ren, or Kyouko-chan or Fuwa, his eyes left all three of them to look at the woman, Shouko. Admittedly, the moment he saw her he knew she was the same as him; manager by day, matchmaker by night. That nod wasn't one of greeting, but of rivalry. They both wanted Kyouko-chan with their client, and both were willing to get their hands a bit dirty to get that done. But he hadn't realized just how slick of an operator she was. To get Kyouko-chan, who hated Fuwa, to sleep over at his place, took more ability than any of those three stars realized.

Sliding away from Ren's side to get closer to the woman, he caught her attention. She unwillingly gave him an ear, her eyes still on her star and his childhood friend.

"How did you manage that?" he asked in a low voice. No one but the two of them even heard him, and they were standing far enough apart to not draw attention to themselves. Perfect for having this conversation.

She grinned, a catlike smile of triumph and pride of having her work acknowledged.

"Two words," she said softly, a challenge gleaming in her eyes, "Male pride."

His eyebrows went up as he considered that. Male pride. It was…brilliant. Simple and clean and yet it could work so beautifully to bring the two together. Plus, that concept applied not only to Fuwa, but to Ren as well. This woman could have just handed him the key to being Ren's best man at his and Kyouko-chan's future wedding.

He appraised the woman one more time, a smile working its way on his lips. For the first time in a while, a woman _interested_ him. Here was a woman who was smart, but hid it, and, though nice enough, had a streak of cunning in her. She wasn't a simpering fan or a misled girl, she was a mature woman who was so very different than the ones he knew in his line of work. He wanted to know more. More about her methods, her strategy, her passions. He wanted to know about her. And there was a way to know more...

Suppressing a grin as he made his move, now completely ignoring the three stars who were now outright arguing, sliding a bit closer and asked the woman, Shouko, a question.

"Want to go out for drinks tonight?"

* * *


	8. Epilogue

**A/N: I'll make this author's note short. The outfit Kyouko's wearing is the same she wore in the manga, chapter 47, page 29. It's when she and Maria are investigating Kanae and dressing up as private detectives. I tried to describe it to the best of my ability, but hey, just thought you should know. Please, enjoy. See you all around campus. ;)**

February 15

The calm after the storm. After all the chaos and broken hearts Valentine's Day ensued, the day after was usually calm, like walking onto a battlefield a few hours after the battle. The casualties are still laying around, the blood still fresh but the madness and bloodthirsty nature has already gone from the scene. The cleansing can begin now, healing can flourish in the quiet brokenness. Scars will still remain, however, and they never go away entirely. But for the most part, February 15 can be thought of as the antithesis to the fourteenth. It was not an anthem to couples and love, but a tribute to singles and strength.

And so, on this quiet day, a young woman with short hair dressed herself in the early morning, far earlier than even the time this early riser usually gets up. She shrugged on a trench-coat and did up the buttons of the work coat she wore underneath. She snapped the gloves over her tiny hands, testing their flexibility. Flipping a hat on her head and pushing sunglasses up to her eyes, she turned to look at herself in the mirror. This outfit brought back memories, walking beside little sister and following her best friend secretively. Well, this morning the objective was quite different. She wasn't looking out for anyone's well-being or trying to find secrets. She was working alone here, with only one purpose in mind: revenge.

Slipping out of her room and down the stairs, she glanced at the clock. The couple she stayed with shouldn't be up for another hour, before they had to get ready for the day. Perfect timing. She had plenty of time to work her dark magic before returning. Quietly closing the door behind her, she disregarded the bicycle, leaning against the side of the building, instead opting to walk. Her destination was across the city, but public transportation could get her there fast enough. She walked to the end of the street and paused.

A casual observer would not see anything in her stance or face to give her away. In fact, the only thing they would see would be a young woman, dressed in dark detective-style, with her eyes closed in the pale light of dawn. But if you were gifted in the supernatural, you could see her aura pulsing as the gateways to her soul opened, allowing one tiny presence to join its master on the Tokyo sidewalk. The little monster appeared nervous, as if it was afraid of something out in the streets, but it calmed under the steady hand of the young woman. There was a moment of reconnection between master and demon before both opened their eyes. The demon settled itself on her shoulder, hiding underneath the large brim of her hat. The young woman turned on her heel, walking confidently to her destination. At the next street, she walked underneath the plastic shading of the bus stop, checking her watch. Satisfied, she looked up and around, scanning for the bus. A mere heartbeat later, the metal beast rumbled its way around the corner, stopping to pick up its only new passenger; the young woman.

She took her seat near the middle, a window seat that overlooked the sidewalk. She sat in total silence, never reaching for her phone or a music player or making conversation with the few other passengers also on board. She checked her watch occasionally, but mostly seemed content with watching the city pass slowly by her window. Every once in a while, her demon whispered something in her ear, and the young woman would nod in agreement. Twenty minutes passed like this, her sitting there and watching with unseeing eyes as she watched the city wake up.

Then her stop came up, and she got up, giving the driver his money before disembarking in one of the wealthier neighborhoods of the city. She navigated her way amongst high-rises and skyscrapers until she came to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk, near a lamppost. Resting a hand against the cool metal of the lamppost, she looked up to the building across the street. It was an apartment complex, no different than the many others she passed on her way to this place. Her demon abandoned her shoulder, nodding and pointing excitedly to the building. With a placating smile, she calmed her demon, and then smirked.

Every gateway she had erupted open, and many demons, identical to the one that had been on her shoulder, streamed from her being, gathering in a dark purple ribbon above her head. They seethed with malice, begging to be released for a few moments of black intent. When their numbers totaled in the hundreds of thousands, she nodded once, and that was all the permission they needed.

Bursting from their places, every last demon deserted her, leaving her on the street below, as they rushed towards one of the windows of the apartment complex, cackling with evil pleasure. The onslaught was headed by that first demon, who charged into the window with viciousness. The demons moved in a torrent through the window, and in a moment all of them were inside, and February 15 was quiet once more.

For a mere moment that held true. The young woman held her breath in anticipation until the rooms beyond the window exploded with activity. Her demons were raising hell in there. She couldn't see it, but she knew what they were doing. Driving themselves into a frenzy, they worked in those few moments when the sole occupant of the apartment was asleep. They trashed the place, overthrowing furniture, shredding the carpet, tearing apart shrines, and throwing themselves against the walls, denting it. Working quickly lest the occupant wake and find them, a small squadron (totaling 1,502 demons) painted on one of the walls one message. Amidst the chaos their fellows were building, it could very well be missed, had it not extended from floor to ceiling. Painted in the matter from their hate-filled world of emotion were the words: _Damn Beagle!_

Down on the streets below, their master signaled the retreat. In a moment, the demons made their escape, draining out of the room as quickly as they had flooded into it. The last ones were exiting the apartment when the occupant, an attractive man in his early twenties, stumbled out of his bedroom and found his apartment trashed and dirtied by paranormal beings.

The master sucked all the demons back into her, and, satisfied that all of her forces were inside her again, none of them trapped inside the apartment, she set off down the street, back to the bus stop that would take her back to her place. The man just barely made it to the window in time to see her back as she rounded a corner and was lost to sight.

As she made her way back in the strengthening light of day, a brightly colored sign caught her eye. Turning her head, she saw that it was an advertisement in a display window, colored bright pink and purple with white accents.

_Been slighted by your dear? _asked the sign, _Tired of love? Here are the perfect chocolates for you! Suited for only one person, with the themes being "hate", "revenge" and "goodbye". Buy one and flaunt it to his face! Take one home and show her just how much you don't need her! For a limited time only._

Smirking at the good timing of the sign, she entered the store. Nodding in greeting to the man behind the counter, she made her way to the table that displayed the chocolates, in all their multicolored glory. Picking up a few boxes, she deduced that the pink boxes were "hate", the purple ones were "revenge" and the white was "goodbye". Selecting a purple box, she paid for it using the only money she had on her; the thirty yen she had tried to give back to him. Smiling as the man thanked her for her patronage, she exited the store, holding the box in one hand as she made her way home. The sun finally broke its way over the low buildings, and the woman squinted in the sudden brightness. All in all, it was a good day's work, and the day had barely begun.


End file.
